bracket

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noun brack·et \ ˈbra-kət \

Definition of bracket

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

3 a :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 3

d :brace 5b

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

See bracket defined for English-language learners

See bracket defined for kids

Examples of bracket in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of bracket from the Web

Perez Cordova offers direct assistance on this one: a ceiling fan hung from a bracket of 2-by-4s spins at a rate of 111 seconds per rotation, the minimum amount of time the artist believes a patron needs for each view.

— lori waxman, chicagotribune.com, "Murakami and Perez Cordova form an unexpected symmetry at the MCA," 19 July 2017
The dental products company manufactures items such as impression materials for crafting a crown or cap, cements, sealants, denture bases and orthodontic equipment, including wires and brackets for braces.

— mike nolan, Daily Southtown, "GC America groundbreaking in Alsip departs from tradition, includes purification of grounds," 19 July 2017
The median funding level for PIs publishing in journals with lower impact factors—such as PLOS ONE and the Journal of Biological Chemistry—was not much lower, about the 70th percentile, but the distribution of funding brackets was more diverse.

— maggie kuo, Science | AAAS, "Relatively few NIH grantees get lion’s share of agency’s funding," 18 July 2017
In his vision for fundamentally reforming the American tax system, Donald Trump didn’t bother to propose specific income tax brackets.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump’s Tax Plan Would Be Bad for Those Who Don’t Own Yachts, Study Basically Finds," 12 July 2017
Last week, rich people in America were given the fright of their lives when rumors circulated that White House senior adviser Steve Bannon had been pushing to increase the top income tax bracket to 40 percent or more.

— bess levin, The Hive, "The Mega-Rich Can Breathe Easy! Steve Mnuchin Rushes to Assure Them Trump Won’t Raise Their Taxes," 10 July 2017
Each division features a double-elimination bracket.

— kevin acee, sandiegouniontribune.com, "OTL tournament about as San Diego as it gets," 6 July 2017
The bracket for the tournament will likely be determined in November.

— daniel karell, The Courier-Journal, "2017 King of the Bluegrass to feature Bowling Green, four out-of-state teams," 6 July 2017
The plan would slash the rate paid by businesses to 15 percent and shrink the number of individual income tax brackets from seven to three — 10, 25 and 35 percent.

— jeremy w. peters, New York Times, "How Low Can Taxes Go? Outside Washington, Republicans Find Limits," 2 July 2017

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.

Origin and Etymology of bracket

perhaps from Middle French braguette codpiece, from diminutive of brague breeches, from Old Occitan braga, from Latin braca, of Celt origin — more at breech

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1574

See Words from the same year

bracket Synonyms

Synonyms

class, category, classification, division, family, genus, grade, group, kind, league, order, rank (s), rubric, set, species, tier, type

Related Words

description, feather, ilk, kidney, like, manner, nature, sort; branch, section, speciality, specialty, subclass, subdivision, subgroup, subspecies, variety; breed, race; generation; heading, label, title

bracket

verb

Definition of bracket

transitive verb

1 a :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

4 a :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

See bracket defined for English-language learners

Examples of bracket in a Sentence

I wouldn't exactly bracket your paintings with those of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

Recent Examples of bracket from the Web

But Staples’s complaints about the small pond of hip-hop are bracketed by wider discontent.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Vince Staples, Enemy of Groupthink," 23 June 2017
With East Washington Street as its heartline, the 46201 area is bracketed by East Michigan Street and English Avenue; and by Rural Street and Emerson Avenue.

— ruth serven, Indianapolis Star, "Nonprofits partner to build, restore homes on the east side," 21 June 2017
Steep hillsides etched with streams bracket the valley floor.

— michael dunne, sacbee.com, "Anderson Valley winemakers take a ‘Dalmatian dog’ approach to their pinot noirs," 20 June 2017
The tournament's first game is always a massive one for each team, as the road through the losers bracket back toward the championship series is a long, tiring grind.

— gentry estes, The Courier-Journal, "College World Series Live Updates | Louisville-Texas A&M," 18 June 2017
So did cable news networks, bracketing Comey’s first public appearance since being fired by Trump with hours of their own talk.

— Washington Post, "TV coverage of Comey testimony comes with plenty of spin," 9 June 2017
The game at Central Florida is a fourth, exempted and non-bracketed, game as part of the AdvoCare Invitational field.

— tod palmer, kansascity.com, "Mizzou men’s basketball schedule slowly comes into focus," 1 June 2017
Elliott won his next four matches in the consolation bracket to advance to the fifth-place match.

— jon j. kerr, chicagotribune.com, "Elliott, doubles teams lead Hinsdale Central tennis to third place," 28 May 2017
Spieth has played in the event four times, with one record-setting title run (2015) bracketed by a pair of runner-up finishes (2014, 2016).

— jimmy burch, star-telegram.com, "Colonial champ Spieth has mass appeal as emerging face of pro golf," 23 May 2017

First Known Use of bracket

1836

bracket Synonyms

Synonyms

analogize, assimilate, compare, equate, liken

Antonyms

contrast

Related Words

associate, connect, couple, link; allude, refer, relate; equal, match, parallel

BRACKET Defined for English Language Learners

bracket

play

noun

Definition of bracket for English Language Learners

: an object that is attached to a wall and used to support or hold up something (such as a shelf)
: a category that includes a certain range of incomes, ages, etc.
: either one of a pair of marks [ ] or 〈〉 used to enclose words or mathematical symbols

bracket

verb

Definition of bracket for English Language Learners

: to place (words, symbols, etc.) within brackets
: to be located at each side of (something)
: to put (two or more people or things) into the same category, group, etc.

BRACKET Defined for Kids

bracket

play

noun brack·et \ ˈbra-kət \

Definition of bracket for Students

1 :a support for a weight (as a shelf) that is usually attached to a wall

2 :one of a pair of marks [ ] ( square brackets ) used to enclose letters or numbers or in mathematics to enclose items to be treated together

3 :one of a pair of marks 〈〉 ( angle brackets ) used to enclose letters or numbers

4 :¹group 1, category

an age bracket

bracket

verb

Definition of bracket for Students

bracketed; bracketing

1 :to place within brackets

2 :to put into the same class :group

Learn More about bracket

See words that rhyme with bracket Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bracket Spanish Central: Translation of bracket Nglish: Translation of bracket for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of bracket for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bracket

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bracket

Definition of bracket

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BRACKET Defined for English Language Learners

bracket

Definition of bracket for English Language Learners

bracket

Definition of bracket for English Language Learners

BRACKET Defined for Kids

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