wallpaper

1 of 2

noun

wall·​pa·​per ˈwȯl-ˌpā-pər 

1

: decorative paper for the walls of a room

2

: the background image or set of images displayed on a computer screen

After becoming a member, the user gets to design a homepage with his or her choice of pictures, music, wallpaper, writing, and information making each page unique.

—Fahiym Ratcliffe

wallpaper

2 of 2

verb

wallpapered; wallpapering; wallpapers

transitive verb

: to provide the walls of (a room) with wallpaper

intransitive verb

: to put wallpaper on a wall

Examples of wallpaper in a Sentence

Noun

The wallpaper began to peel.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The studio room has a dramatic freestanding tub and splashy toile wallpaper, while the superior suite has a writing alcove and mini-library. — Elizabeth Cantrell, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2026

Dress Up the Walls Plain sheetrock walls are a builder-grade signature, which Balding views as the perfect canvas for adding details such as millwork or wallpaper. — Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 30 June 2026

Verb

Bonus points were earned for wallpapering the ceiling, too. — Allison Duncan, Vogue, 29 May 2026

In a different year, at a different level of effectiveness, Edmonton’s pair of Hart Trophy winners would wallpaper over the nail holes. — Sean Gentille, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1918, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for wallpaper

• newspaper
• notepaper
• sandpaper
• skyscraper
• wastepaper
• caper
• paper
• raper
• scraper
• shaper
• taper
• vapor

Kids Definition

wallpaper

noun

wall·​pa·​per

ˈwȯl-ˌpā-pər

: decorative paper for covering the walls of a room

wallpaper verb