bracket

brack·et | \ ˈbra-kət

Definition of bracket

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : an overhanging member that projects from a structure (such as a wall) and is usually designed to support a vertical load or to strengthen an angle

2 : a fixture (as for holding a lamp) projecting from a wall or column

3a : one of a pair of marks [ ] used in writing and printing to enclose matter or in mathematics and logic as signs of aggregation

— called also square bracket

b : one of the pair of marks 〈〉 used to enclose matter

— called also angle bracket

c : parenthesis sense 3

d : brace sense 2b

4 : a section of a continuously numbered or graded series (such as age ranges or income levels)

5 : a pairing of opponents in an elimination tournament

bracket

verb

bracketed; bracketing; brackets

Definition of bracket (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to place within or as if within brackets editorial comments are bracketed news stories bracketed by commercials

b : to eliminate from consideration bracket off politics

c : to extend around so as to encompass : include test pressures … which bracket virtually the entire range of passenger-car tire pressures — Consumer Reports

2 : to furnish or fasten with brackets

3 : to put in the same category or group bracketed in a tie for third

4a : to get the range on (a target) by firing over and short

b : to establish the limits of bracketed the problem neatly

c : to take photographs of at more than one exposure in order to ensure that the desired exposure is obtained

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about bracket

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Examples of bracket in a Sentence

Noun The shelf is held up with two brackets. There are wall brackets in the garage for the rakes and shovels. She is taller than average for her age bracket. He earned enough to put him in a higher tax bracket. She is now in a lower income bracket than before. Verb I wouldn't exactly bracket your paintings with those of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Minnesota and Central Florida are the other teams in the bracket. — Ben Steele, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Marquette will play Oklahoma State as part of Big East-Big 12 Battle," 22 Apr. 2020 One of the subplots for this NBA2K tournament is that the Clippers' Beverley and Harrell and the Suns' Ayton and Booker are the only teammate pairs in the 16-player bracket. — Dana Scott, azcentral, "5 Reasons why Suns fans should watch Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton in the NBA2K semifinals," 10 Apr. 2020 The opening round will air on ESPN beginning Sunday at 4 p.m. In one bracket will be former Clippers guard Chris Paul, ex-UCLA star Zach LaVine, Inglewood High product Paul Pierce and Chicago Sky WNBA All-Star Allie Quigley. — Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, "NBA and WNBA stars to compete in televised H-O-R-S-E games on home courts," 9 Apr. 2020 The first cases of Covid-19 were reported in people returning from other countries, and people in this income bracket in South Africa tend to have medical aid and visit private rather than public healthcare facilities. — Sarah Wild, Quartz Africa, "South Africa is leading the continent’s coronavirus testing challenge boosted by private labs," 3 Apr. 2020 That plan cut income taxes for about 650,000 Arkansans, including 120,000 people in the lowest tax bracket who no longer will pay those taxes, state officials said in February 2017. — Michael R. Wickline, Arkansas Online, "'20 holds tax cut for high earners," 29 Dec. 2019 This season, the Michigan Power Rankings were used to designate the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in each district, and they were placed on opposite sides of the bracket. — Mick Mccabe, Detroit Free Press, "High school football, basketball players allowed extra game time, among MHSAA changes," 8 May 2020 The task of this bracket was to find the favorite Ohio State football player from 2001 to the present. — Doug Lesmerises, cleveland, "Ohio State football favorite modern player bracket comes down to Ezekiel Elliott vs. Troy Smith," 15 Apr. 2020 Most units come with a kit that includes adjustable window extensions and metal mounting brackets. — Timothy Dahl, Popular Mechanics, "How to Install a Window Air Conditioner," 2 May 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Flowers no longer seem like a petty distraction from a mighty destiny, no longer an insult to ambition, but a genuine pleasure amidst a litany of troubles, an invitation to bracket anxieties, a small resting place for hope in a sea of difficulties. — The School Of Life, CNN, "The School of Life presents: Self-discovery in self-isolation," 22 Apr. 2020 It is based on the life of painter Antonio Ligabue, whose fame as an artist is bracketed by a childhood as an orphan and a decline into insanity. — Angelika Jansen, ExpressNews.com, "An unhappy world in focus at Berlin Film Festival," 9 Mar. 2020 In only one of those games did the Flashes face a top-90 pass offense, and the quartet of games was bracketed by yielding 342 passing yards to Ohio Oct. 19 and 386 yards to Eastern Michigan Nov. 29. — Cameron Dasilva, USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire, "Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl: Utah State vs. Kent State odds, picks and best bets," 19 Dec. 2019 Early in the state’s coronavirus outbreak, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown ordered all the state’s public schools to cancel seven school days bracketing spring break. — oregonlive, "Coronavirus closure won’t lead to online classes in Oregon public schools. This is why," 19 Mar. 2020 The Pabst Theater Group is also hosting a couple of live tapings of political podcasts, bracketing the convention. — Piet Levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Activist rocker Billy Bragg playing Milwaukee during Democratic National Convention," 24 Feb. 2020 This Saturday contest figures to have 3-pointers and free-throws leading to another Over as well, but the public has this total well bracketed. — Marcus Mosher, USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire, "Oregon at Oregon State college basketball odds, picks and best bets," 8 Feb. 2020 While all campaigns do some amount of this outreach, the Trump campaign has made a specialty of bracketing his in-person campaign rallies with events before and after, designed to maximize local media coverage. — Catherine Lucey, WSJ, "Trump Campaign Works to Garner Local News Coverage," 28 Jan. 2020 The Hart Plaza techno festival has been the de facto kickoff of the summer music season in metro Detroit, bracketed on the other end by Labor Day events including the Detroit International Jazz Festival and Arts, Beats & Eats in Royal Oak . — Brian Mccollum, Detroit Free Press, "Movement techno festival, a Memorial Day fixture in Detroit, moves to September," 20 Mar. 2020

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