bonding

noun bond·ing \ ˈbän-diŋ \

Updated on: 21 Apr 2018

Definition of bonding

1 : the formation of a close relationship (as between a mother and child or between a person and an animal) especially through frequent or constant association

2 : the attaching of a material (such as porcelain) to a tooth surface especially for cosmetic purposes

See bonding defined for English-language learners

Examples of bonding in a Sentence

He and his dad spent the weekend together for some male bonding.
this epoxy has good bonding for glass and ceramics

Recent Examples of bonding from the Web

The impulse toward homophily, toward bonding with others who are the least other possible, is found among traditional hunter-gatherer groups and advanced capitalist societies alike.

— natalie angier, New York Times, "You Share Everything With Your Bestie. Even Brain Waves.," 16 Apr. 2018
That applies to Tristan bonding with his daughter as well.

— stephanie petit, PEOPLE.com, "Khloé Kardashian Is 'Still Undecided' on Whether to Stay with Tristan Thompson After Scandal," 16 Apr. 2018
To foster that community bonding, villages also sponsor events.

— joanna connors, cleveland.com, "Who will shovel mom's walk? 'Virtual villages' help seniors stay independent: Living On," 15 Apr. 2018
The city is required to post the audit by March 31 for the Texas Water Development Board and for bonding purposes.

— michelle iracheta, Houston Chronicle, "Oak Ridge North News & Notes," 11 Apr. 2018
Behind all the chaos, outrage and vitriol, there’s a bonding that’s truly inspiring.

— hal boedeker, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Florida Film Festival: Female directors gauge progress," 11 Apr. 2018
Halsey finds the support from her peers, including those who also suffer from endometriosis, to be an immediate bonding experience.

— michaela bechler, Vogue, "Halsey Kept Things Real at the 9th Annual Blossom Ball," 20 Mar. 2018
In addition to bonding with each other, Schipper said one thing that separates horseback riding from normal physical therapy is the bond between rider and horse.

— erik s. hanley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Physical therapy on a horse: Local nonprofit LifeStriders offers therapeutic horseback riding," 1 Mar. 2018
After first bonding with Adam Rippon at the opening ceremony, the two became staunch cheerleaders for each other.

— nina mandell, For The Win, "Gus Kenworthy posts perfect farewell to Olympics, new friend Adam Rippon," 26 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bonding.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of bonding

1969

bonding Synonyms

BONDING Defined for English Language Learners

bonding

noun

Definition of bonding for English Language Learners

: the process of forming a close relationship with someone

Medical Dictionary

bonding

noun bond·ing

medical Definition of bonding

1 : the formation of a close relationship (as between a mother and child or between a person and an animal) especially through frequent or constant association — see male bonding

2 : a dental technique in which a material and especially plastic or porcelain is attached to a tooth surface to correct minor defects (as chipped or discolored teeth) especially for cosmetic purposes