sew

verb

ˈsō 

sewed; sewn ˈsōn  or sewed; sewing

transitive verb

1

: to unite or fasten by stitches

2

: to close or enclose by sewing

sew the money in a bag

intransitive verb

: to practice or engage in sewing

sewability

ˌsō-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

sewable

ˈsō-ə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• stitch
• suture

Examples of sew in a Sentence

She sews her own dresses by hand.

He sewed a patch onto his sleeve.

I sewed the button back on the shirt.

The surgeon sewed the wound shut.

She designs her own dresses and sews in her free time.

Recent Examples on the Web

Mahomes’ jersey number 15 was sewn on the light pink lining of the coat. —Kansas City Star, 13 Oct. 2025

Inside, there are two credit card holders sewn into the fabric lining, and the zip top ensures your contents stay safely inside. —Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025

The human rights attorney’s dress featured a bodice with a straight neckline and a bevy of sequins carefully sewn into the fabric of the dress. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025

It is deeply sewn into the fabric of the region’s culture, often quite literally, as many women inherit saris that are intricately embroidered with gold thread. —Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English sīwian; akin to Old High German siuwen to sew, Latin suere

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing sew

• sew up

Rhymes for sew

• beau
• beaux
• blow
• boe
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

sew

verb

ˈsō 

sewed; sewn ˈsōn  or sewed; sewing

1

: to join or fasten by stitches

sew on a button

2

: to work with needle and thread