: an arrangement of hair on a balding man in which hair from the side of the head is combed over the bald spot

Examples of comb-over in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Visualize hair sticking straight up being a sharp knife, whereas a comb-over would be a dull one. Christina Manian, Rdn, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2023 To the public, Zhang had been a colorless apparatchik, distinguished in official pictures only by his military uniform, moonish features, and jet-black comb-over. Richard McGregor, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'comb-over.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of comb-over was in 1980

Dictionary Entries Near comb-over

Cite this Entry

“Comb-over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comb-over. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on comb-over

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!