putty

1 of 2

noun

put·​ty ˈpə-tē How to pronounce putty (audio)
plural putties
1
a
: a doughlike material typically made of whiting and linseed oil that is used especially to fasten glass in window frames and to fill crevices in woodwork
b
: any of various substances resembling putty in appearance, consistency, or use
2
: a light brownish-gray to light grayish-brown color
3
: one who is easily manipulated
is putty in her hands
puttyless adjective
puttylike adjective

putty

2 of 2

verb

puttied; puttying

transitive verb

: to use putty on or apply putty to

Examples of putty in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
A lot of rough edges have been sanded off, leaving a putty nose behind. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2024 Knead the putty thoroughly to mix the two parts, then jam the wad into the socket. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2024 Some folks just fill the bolt heads with putty, such as JB Weld. Matt Jancer, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2023 Hebrew comedians wore scraggly crepe beards—the more obviously phony, the better—and used putty to mold their noses into monstrous beaks. Jody Rosen, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2023 Some patches are self-adhesive, while others require putty or patch clips to stay put. Kate McGregor, House Beautiful, 28 June 2023 This innovative product, packed with over 500 ferrite stones, molds together like putty, providing a tactile and engaging experience. Poppy Morgan, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023 Kids can stretch it, bounce it, pop it, tear it, or sculpt it—and the non-toxic silicone putty will never dry out. Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Bsn, Parents, 15 Nov. 2023 For example, your desk and office equipment could probably use a good going-over (try this cleaning putty for hard-to-reach spots). Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Oct. 2023
Verb
Visitors are confronted with a head-on view of the ocean from the front door, and in the living room, low-slung furnishings and a pale palette of whites, putties, and muted blues make the turquoise view over the Atlantic Ocean the dazzling star of the show. Mark David, Robb Report, 17 Jan. 2024 But that is not the only reason Yulia Kapustienko comes to the fire department every morning to putty the walls. Hanna Arhirova, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2022 The framing is a little flabby, as the flashbacks slowly putty in how the outspoken woman might have become a murder target. Brian Lowry, CNN, 28 Apr. 2022 Tough guy celebrities like Charles Barkley, Draymond Green and former LSU safety Jamal Adams turn to putty around him. Jim Kleinpeter, NOLA.com, 11 July 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'putty.' 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

French potée potter's glaze, literally, potful, from Old French, from pot pot — more at pottage

First Known Use

Noun

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1719, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of putty was in 1665

Dictionary Entries Near putty

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

putty

1 of 2 noun
put·​ty ˈpət-ē How to pronounce putty (audio)
plural putties
: a soft cement (as for holding glass in a window frame)

putty

2 of 2 verb
puttied; puttying
: to cement or seal up with putty

More from Merriam-Webster on putty

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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