bracket

noun brack·et \ ˈbra-kət \

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

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

For a complete tournament bracket, visit www.ciacsports.com.

— steve smith, Courant Community, "GHS Returns To Semis," 12 June 2018
The survey results highlight health care disparities between wealthier residents and those in lower income brackets, and between white respondents and minorities—findings that mirror those of the 2015 study.

— courant.com, "Costs And Access Still Barriers To Health Care, Survey Finds," 6 June 2018
Last month the Jordanian government introduced an income tax bill aimed at widening the tax base, increasing the tax brackets, and penalizing those who do not pay.

— marilia brocchetto, CNN, "Hundreds protest in Jordan against austerity measures," 3 June 2018
Wong holds the No. 4 seed in the Division 2 singles bracket, which begins play on Thursday.

— curt hogg, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "George Wong plays two spring sports and cares for his ailing grandmother at the same time. He'll be a threat to win the state tennis title," 31 May 2018
Kentucky was the only team in the final bracket projections from Baseball America and D1Baseball.com left out of the actual field.

— jon hale, The Courier-Journal, "MLB Hall of Famer has a message for those complaining about UK's snub," 29 May 2018
Harford County’s Patterson Mill is a strong contender for the Class 1A crown as the top seed in the East’s Section I. For the full brackets, go to the MPSSAA website.

— glenn graham, baltimoresun.com, "Severna Park, Howard among top seeds for state boys lacrosse sectional playoffs," 8 May 2018
In the boys state championship brackets, county champions Glenelg (13-1 overall) is the top seed in Section I of the 2A South region, while Centennial (9-5) has the top spot in Section I of the 3A East region and Howard (13-1) is the No.

— tim schwartz, Howard County Times, "Boys, girls lacrosse state playoff brackets released," 7 May 2018
These women come from different backgrounds, income brackets, cities, and age groups, which allows me access to a diverse pool of solid, real-life suggestions.

— tanisha pina, Glamour, "8 Women of Color on Their Go-To Products for Hyperpigmentation," 1 May 2018

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

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

bracket Synonyms

Synonyms

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

branch, section, speciality, specialty, subclass, subdivision, subgroup, subspecies, variety;

breed, race;

generation;

heading, label, title;

bracket

verb

Definition of bracket

bracketed; bracketing; brackets

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

Several taller buildings bracket the site, and the Boston Planning & Development Agency recently approved a 32-story tower atop the Huntington Theatre, one block to the west.

— tim logan, BostonGlobe.com, "Boston’s retro-style MidTown Hotel may give way to development," 14 June 2018
The Griswold Wolverine softball team battled its way through the state Class M tournament bracket all the way to the championship finals, before falling to St. Joseph of Trumbull in a 5-2 loss June 9 in West Haven.

— janice steinhagen, Courant Community, "Griswold State Class M Softball Runnerup," 11 June 2018
Marshall’s many successes bracketed one notable failure.

— New York Times, "A Marshall Plan for China? It Existed, but Even Marshall Couldn’t Pull It Off," 6 June 2018
Second, modern societies, and especially liberal ones, tend to bracket out the questions of individual and collective meaning that, in previous societies, were fully integrated into everyday life.

— park macdougald, Daily Intelligencer, "The Idea-Free Book That Has the Right Excited About Ideas," 1 June 2018
All text bracketed and in italics is a paraphrase of remarks from Bowersox or information provided by Metro spokeswoman Sherri Ly.

— fredrick kunkle, Washington Post, "Back2Good with yoga pants and Twitter rants: A talk with Metro’s marketer in chief on the role of PR," 14 May 2018
By bracketing rules, regional champions can’t meet until the third round.

— james weber, Cincinnati.com, "Day one of Kentucky state wrestling complete," 15 Feb. 2018
The hillsides that bracket the valley, however, are the source for two-thirds of the water that recharges reservoirs and wells that help sustain the valley’s several small towns as well as its sprawling vineyards, Hackett says.

— mike dunne, sacbee, "Divisive referendum seeks to limit vineyard growth in storied Napa Valley | The Sacramento Bee," 23 May 2018
The Europeans, annoyed that they should be bracketed with countries like China, want permanent exemptions from the tariffs, which Argentina, Australia and Brazil have attained.

— The Economist, "Business this week," 3 May 2018

First Known Use of bracket

1836

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

bracket Synonyms

BRACKET Defined for English Language Learners

bracket

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