Illustration of fold
- fold 4a
folded; folding; folds
1
: to lay one part over another part of
fold a letter
2
: to reduce the length or bulk of by doubling over
fold a tent
3
: to clasp together : entwine
fold the hands
4
: to clasp or enwrap closely : embrace
5
a
: to incorporate (a food ingredient) into a mixture by repeated gentle overturnings without stirring or beating
b
: to incorporate closely
6
a
: to concede defeat by withdrawing (one's cards) from play (as in poker)
b
: to bring to an end
7
: to bend (something, such as a layer of rock) into folds
1
: to become doubled or pleated
2
: to fail completely : collapse
especially
: to go out of business
3
: to fold one's cards (as in poker)
1
: a part doubled or laid over another part : pleat
2
: a crease made by folding something (such as a newspaper)
3
: something that is folded together or that enfolds
4
a
: a bend or flexure produced in rock by forces operative after the depositing or consolidation of the rock
b
chiefly British
: an undulation in the landscape
5
: a margin apparently formed by the doubling upon itself of a flat anatomical structure (such as a membrane)
1
a
: a group of people or institutions that share a common faith, belief, activity, or enthusiasm
His former colleagues would be glad to welcome him back into the fold.
b
: a flock of sheep
2
: an enclosure for sheep
folded; folding; folds
: to pen up or confine (sheep) in a fold
1
: multiplied by (a specified number) : times
—in adjectives
a sixfold increase
and adverbsrepay you tenfold
2
: having (so many) parts
threefold aspect of the problem
Synonyms
Examples of fold in a Sentence
Noun (1)
ready to welcome their old Liberal friend back into the fold
Verb (2)
fold the blanket so that it will fit inside the trunk
the business folded after just two months
Suffix
It will repay you tenfold.
Recent Examples on the Web
Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 19 May 2024
An orca’s cerebral cortex is more convoluted, more intricately folded, than a human’s — which gives them an extraordinary ability to learn, remember, think, and feel.
—Tomas Weber, Rolling Stone, 18 May 2024
Once the kids are done climbing, the toy folds flat for easy storage inside a closet or under a bed.
—Heather Balogh Rochfort, Parents, 18 May 2024
The soccer team will replace minor league baseball’s Lancaster JetHawks, who folded in 2020 after 25 seasons, as the Antelope Valley’s only professional sports franchise.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2024
It was folded into USA TV and then into Universal when Universal and NBC merged.
—Maer Roshan, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 May 2024
Money leis, where cash is folded to appear like flowers, can be made at home or by a local artist and are a great gift for young graduates.
—Brenna Gauchat, The Arizona Republic, 7 May 2024
After the ceremony, the teens and their families headed to three folding tables covered in food.
—Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 7 May 2024
Scuzz and Rumble stood on either side of him, their bulging arms folded in a show of menace.
—Simon Rich, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024
Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 21 May 2024
The pet's name nod to Swift comes almost ten years after the singer-songwriter named her Scottish fold cat Olivia Benson, after Harigaty's beloved Law & Order: SVU character.
—Liz McNeil, Peoplemag, 20 May 2024
Safety 1st Summit Wagon Stroller: Easy assembly, a compact fold, and an enhanced array of accessories like car seat adapters makes this a tempting and affordable choice for a stroller wagon.
—Jessica Booth, Parents, 9 May 2024
Specifically, the oversized handlebar might get in the way of a flat fold.
—Jessica Booth, Parents, 9 May 2024
On an 8-inch tortilla, make two piles of shredded cheese near the center, one above the other, leaving a bit of a space between them to allow for a fold.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 May 2024
Republicans have spent years drawing Latino evangelicals into their fold.
—Jennifer Medina Isadora Kosofsky, New York Times, 5 May 2024
All this time, Lehman was determined to bring Luxembourg back into the Eurovision fold.
—Fred Bronson, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
That represents a dramatic change for Tesla’s future, which is likely to have an effect on who decides to hold their shares or fold.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 23 Apr. 2024
Verb
Then, manufacturers fold in spices and other ingredients, which may include beef stock, corn syrup, sugar, salt, garlic puree, starch, water or ice.
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 19 May 2024
An orca’s cerebral cortex is more convoluted, more intricately folded, than a human’s — which gives them an extraordinary ability to learn, remember, think, and feel.
—Tomas Weber, Rolling Stone, 18 May 2024
Once the kids are done climbing, the toy folds flat for easy storage inside a closet or under a bed.
—Heather Balogh Rochfort, Parents, 18 May 2024
The soccer team will replace minor league baseball’s Lancaster JetHawks, who folded in 2020 after 25 seasons, as the Antelope Valley’s only professional sports franchise.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2024
It was folded into USA TV and then into Universal when Universal and NBC merged.
—Maer Roshan, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 May 2024
Money leis, where cash is folded to appear like flowers, can be made at home or by a local artist and are a great gift for young graduates.
—Brenna Gauchat, The Arizona Republic, 7 May 2024
After the ceremony, the teens and their families headed to three folding tables covered in food.
—Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 7 May 2024
Scuzz and Rumble stood on either side of him, their bulging arms folded in a show of menace.
—Simon Rich, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024
Noun
It was converted to condos in 2018 and went on to welcome music industry titan Clive Davis into its fold of 19th-century elegance.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 21 May 2024
The pet's name nod to Swift comes almost ten years after the singer-songwriter named her Scottish fold cat Olivia Benson, after Harigaty's beloved Law & Order: SVU character.
—Liz McNeil, Peoplemag, 20 May 2024
Safety 1st Summit Wagon Stroller: Easy assembly, a compact fold, and an enhanced array of accessories like car seat adapters makes this a tempting and affordable choice for a stroller wagon.
—Jessica Booth, Parents, 9 May 2024
Specifically, the oversized handlebar might get in the way of a flat fold.
—Jessica Booth, Parents, 9 May 2024
On an 8-inch tortilla, make two piles of shredded cheese near the center, one above the other, leaving a bit of a space between them to allow for a fold.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 May 2024
Republicans have spent years drawing Latino evangelicals into their fold.
—Jennifer Medina Isadora Kosofsky, New York Times, 5 May 2024
All this time, Lehman was determined to bring Luxembourg back into the Eurovision fold.
—Fred Bronson, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
That represents a dramatic change for Tesla’s future, which is likely to have an effect on who decides to hold their shares or fold.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 23 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fold.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near fold
Cite this Entry
“Fold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fold. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fold
1 of 5 noun1
: a pen for sheep
2
: a group of people with a common faith or interest
fold
2 of 5 verb
: to shut up in a fold
fold
3 of 5 verb1
: to lay one part over or against another part
fold a letter
birds folding their wings
2
: to clasp together
fold the hands
4
: to bend (as a layer of rock) into folds
5
: to add (a food ingredient) to a mixture by gently and repeatedly lifting one part over another
6
: to become doubled or pleated
7
: to fail completely
the business folded
fold
4 of 5 noun1
: a doubling or folding over
2
: a part doubled or laid over another part
3
: a bend produced in rock
-fold
5 of 5 suffixˌfōld,
ˈfōld
1
: multiplied by (a specified number) : times
—in adjectives
a twelvefold increase
and adverbsrepay you tenfold
2
: having (so many) parts
a threefold problem
Etymology
Noun
Old English falod "pen for sheep"
Verb
Old English fealdan "to fold, make double thickness"
Suffix
Old English -feald (suffix) "being increased (so many) times"
Medical Definition
fold
1 of 2 intransitive verb
: to become doubled or pleated
fold
2 of 2 noun
: a margin apparently formed by the doubling upon itself of a flat anatomical structure (as a membrane)
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