plug

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a piece used to fill a hole : stopper
b
: an obtruding or obstructing mass of material resembling a stopper
2
: a flat compressed cake of tobacco
3
: a small core or segment removed from a larger object
4
: something inferior
especially : an inferior often aged or unsound horse
5
6
: an artificial fishing lure used primarily for casting and made with one or more sets of gang hooks
7
: any of various devices resembling or functioning like a plug: such as
a
: a male fitting for making an electrical connection to a live circuit by insertion in a receptacle (such as an outlet)
b
: a device for connecting electric wires to a jack
8
: a piece of favorable publicity or a favorable mention usually incorporated in general matter

plug

2 of 2

verb

plugged; plugging

transitive verb

1
a
: to stop, make tight, or secure by inserting a plug
b
: to remedy (a deficiency) as if by inserting a plug
trying to plug the gaps in their understanding
2
: to hit with a bullet : shoot
3
: to advertise or publicize insistently

intransitive verb

1
: to become plugged
usually used with up
2
: to work doggedly and persistently
plugged away at her homework
3
: to fire shots
plugger noun
Phrases
plug into
1
: to connect or become connected to by or as if by means of a plug
the city was plugged into the new highway system
2
: to load into as if by means of a plug
plugged the data into a computer

Examples of plug in a Sentence

Verb We were able to plug the hole with cement. One of the DJs on the local radio station has been plugging the band's new album. He plugged him right in the chest.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The report found the door plug was opened to allow for repair work on misdrilled rivets on the fuselage while the plane was being assembled. Joel Rose, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024 However, a photo shared by Boeing employees after the door plug was removed shows three of four key bolts missing, with a fourth not visible. Lori Aratani, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024 But the reason that the door plug, and the missing bolts, were removed by Boeing was that the fuselage arrived at Boeing’s factory with problems with five rivets that had been done by Spirit AeroSystems. Chris Isidore, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 After a mishap involving a machine and a plug, however, Alejandro is let go by the company. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024 The landscape and its issues felt similar: the effects of forest fires, the melting permafrost revealing itself in cracks that splice through forlorn buildings, and giant plugs of tundra that collapse like soufflés. Sophy Roberts, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Feb. 2024 Because, five years ago, I was left for dead, told to pull out the plug. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 29 Feb. 2024 This isn’t the first time Apple pulled the plug on a major project—in 2014, for example, saw the abandonment of a 4K Apple smart TV. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 28 Feb. 2024 Within the animal's respiratory tract, evolved nasal and oral plugs protect the airways from water when breathing and feeding. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 25 Feb. 2024
Verb
The goal is to quickly see how much methane is escaping and from where, so that measures might be taken to plug all those leaks. Justine Calma, The Verge, 4 Mar. 2024 In Santa Clara County, elections officials are plugged into information-sharing networks with agencies around the country, and are tracking the potential for the new AI technology to affect elections here, said assistant registrar of voters Matt Moreles. Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 In local news, these gaps are the most relevant to plug first. Subramaniam Vincent, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 To show how the worm can work, the researchers created an email system that could send and receive messages using generative AI, plugging into ChatGPT, Gemini, and open source LLM, LLaVA. Matt Burgess, WIRED, 1 Mar. 2024 Biden requested the additional $1 billion to plug that gap. Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 Winning such a permit would help the fintech giant plug a gap, adding one of the last missing pieces to its financial footprint. Cathy Chan, Fortune Asia, 26 Feb. 2024 The push buttons on wireless doorbells are powered by batteries while the receivers can typically be plugged into standard electrical outlets. Jenna Clark, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Feb. 2024 More recently, a door plug on a Boeing 737 Max flown by Alaska Airlines blew out soon after taking off, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane. Chris Isidore, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Dutch, from Middle Dutch plugge; akin to Middle High German pfloc plug

First Known Use

Noun

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1630, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of plug was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near plug

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

plug

1 of 2 noun
1
: a piece used to close or fill a hole
2
: a flat cake of tightly pressed tobacco leaves
3
: something of lesser quality
especially : a worn-out horse
4
5
: a lure with several hooks used in casting for fish
6
: a device usually on a cord used to make an electrical connection by putting it into another part (as a socket)
7
: a piece of favorable publicity

plug

2 of 2 verb
plugged; plugging
1
: to stop, make tight, or secure with or as if with a plug
plug the leak with tar
2
: to hit with a bullet : shoot
3
: to advertise or publicize over and over
4
: to become plugged
usually used with up
the drain was plugged up
5
: to keep steadily at work or in action
plugged away at my homework
plugger noun

Medical Definition

plug

1 of 2 noun
: a piece of material (as wood or alloy) used or serving to fill a hole: as
a
: the piece in a cock that can be turned to regulate the flow of liquid or gas
b
: an obstructing mass of material in a bodily vessel or opening (as of the cervix or a skin lesion)
c
: a filling for a hollow tooth

plug

2 of 2 transitive verb
plugged; plugging
1
: to stop, make tight, or secure (as an opening) by or as if by insertion of a plug : close an opening in
2
: to fill a cavity in (a tooth)

More from Merriam-Webster on plug

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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