fastened; fastening
ˈfa-sᵊn-iŋ 
ˈfas-niŋ
1
a
: to attach especially by pinning, tying, or nailing
b
: to make fast and secure
c
: to fix firmly or securely
d
: to secure against opening
2
: to fix or set steadily
fastened her attention on the main problem
3
: to take a firm grip with
the dog fastened its teeth in the shoe
4
a
: to attach (oneself) persistently and usually objectionably
b
: to place forcefully : impose
fastened the blame on the wrong person
1
: to become fast or fixed
2
a
: to take a firm grip or hold
b
: to focus attention
Examples of fasten in a Sentence
fastening clothes on a clothesline
He fastened the dog's leash to a post and went into the store.
two boards fastened together by nails
a decorative clasp that could be used to fasten a cape or cloak
a shoe that fastens with a buckle
This dress fastens in the back.
She twisted her hair into a bun and fastened it with bobby pins.
Make sure the lid is tightly fastened.
The lock was so damaged it wouldn't fasten.
He fastened his hands on my arm and wouldn't let go.
Recent Examples on the Web
The necklace—five strands of costume pearls by Roger Scemama for Hubert de Givenchy, fastened with a crystal brooch—turned faux bijoux into cinematic iconography.
—
Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
For Stone, the Susa sandals aligned with the breezy sophistication of her archival spring 1996 Donna Karan ensemble, which consisted of a column skirt and a collared top daintily fastened at the chest.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
In total, roughly 700 lashers responsible for securing and fastening cargo on ships walked off the job.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 15 Oct. 2025
Sturgeon from the Delaware River were likely fastened to a spit and basted with butter, then sprinkled with flour, nutmeg, mace, salt, sweet herbs, and breadcrumbs before being dressed in a tangy sauce that usually included anchovy, lobster, lemon, horseradish, and white wine.
—Victoria Flexner, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fasten
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
For Stone, the Susa sandals aligned with the breezy sophistication of her archival spring 1996 Donna Karan ensemble, which consisted of a column skirt and a collared top daintily fastened at the chest.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
In total, roughly 700 lashers responsible for securing and fastening cargo on ships walked off the job.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 15 Oct. 2025
Sturgeon from the Delaware River were likely fastened to a spit and basted with butter, then sprinkled with flour, nutmeg, mace, salt, sweet herbs, and breadcrumbs before being dressed in a tangy sauce that usually included anchovy, lobster, lemon, horseradish, and white wine.
—Victoria Flexner, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fasten
Cite this Entry
“Fasten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fasten. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fasten
verb
fas·ten
ˈfas-ᵊn
fastened; fastening
ˈfas-niŋ
-ᵊn-iŋ
1
: to attach or join by or as if by pinning, tying, or nailing
fasten clothes on a line
2
: to make fast : fix securely
fasten a door
3
: to fix or set steadily
fastened their eyes on the distant ship
4
: to become fixed or joined
the shoes fasten with a buckle
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share