often attributive
1
a
: a strong rope especially of 10 inches (25 centimeters) or more in circumference
b
: a cable-laid rope
c
: a wire rope or metal chain of great tensile strength
d
: a wire or wire rope by which force is exerted to control or operate a mechanism
2
3
a
: an assembly of electrical conductors insulated from each other but laid up together (as by being twisted around a central core)
b
: cablegram
also
: a radio message or telegram
4
: something resembling or fashioned like a cable
a fiber-optic cable
5
a
: cable television
a house with cable
b
: a cable infrastructure used to provide services other than television
—often used before another noun
cable Internet
cable telephony
cabled; cabling
ˈkā-b(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to fasten with or as if with a cable
2
: to provide with a cable or cables
3
: to telegraph by submarine cable
4
: to make into a cable or into a form resembling a cable
: to communicate by a submarine cable
cabler
noun
ˈkā-b(ə-)lər
Examples of cable in a Sentence
Noun
The bridge is held up by cables.
Their company supplied cable for the project.
We need more cable to hook up the computers.
Verb
She cabled the news to the United States.
She cabled her parents for money.
The soldiers cabled back to headquarters.
Recent Examples on the Web
Quinn Klinefelter, NPR, 9 Apr. 2024
Prosecutors argued that James Crumbley failed to use a cable lock, trigger lock or store the gun in a locked safe, any one of which could have prevented the shooting.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2024
In mid-February, millions of people lost internet access after three undersea cables in the Arabian Sea were damaged.
—Dell Cameron Andrew Couts, WIRED, 6 Apr. 2024
Setup is as easy as plugging in the HDMI cable and wall-mounting this low profile sound bar or even setting it on your TV stand.
—Jade Chung-Lee, PCMAG, 5 Apr. 2024
The idea is for two pylons to be attached to a special structure on the tower with cables that are expected to exert a counterforce should the tower start tipping more dangerously.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Ninety-two steel cables are used to hang it, with each being about 3.5 inches wide and 138 feet long.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
Giant counterweight Suspended from 92 thick cables between the 87th and 92nd floors, the golden steel sphere can move about 5 feet in any direction.
—Oscar Holland, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
March Synch Madness Lifts Terrance Martin & Ludacris Songs
Speaking of Future: His favorite season, March Madness, is in full swing across roughly 40% of the channels on your cable dial.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2024
Tim Stevens, Ars Technica, 5 Feb. 2024
Researchers are using the above approach to increase power levels on an infrared laser source that achieves unrivaled power via, among other tricks, vibrations in the fiber optic cables themselves.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 Dec. 2023
Crystal’s sweater is timeless and lush—fuzzy, generously cut, and extravagantly cabled, with a tall collar and close-fitting cuffs designed to keep warmth in.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2023
In 2010, the service expanded to a satellite TV station, and then to cable in 2012, using a subscription model like HBO or NFL Network.
—Sasha Richie, Dallas News, 10 July 2023
The journalists were frustrated at being muzzled, but were powerless in the face of a system designed to control every word cabled from Moscow.
—Alan Philps, Town & Country, 5 July 2023
In wake of Tucker Carlson’s ouster, will cable news turn down the volume?
—Katie Robertson, BostonGlobe.com, 30 June 2023
With a portfolio spanning across networks like E!, Bravo, Syfy and USA Network, NBCUniversal is bringing plenty of new programs to cable for fans of unscripted reality television and sci-fi drama.
—Sophia Scorziello, Variety, 9 May 2023
But why is football worth so much to cable?
—Aaron Pressman, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2021
Noun
In court, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald used the murder weapon to demonstrate how to use a cable lock to keep the gun from being fired.
—Quinn Klinefelter, NPR, 9 Apr. 2024
Prosecutors argued that James Crumbley failed to use a cable lock, trigger lock or store the gun in a locked safe, any one of which could have prevented the shooting.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2024
In mid-February, millions of people lost internet access after three undersea cables in the Arabian Sea were damaged.
—Dell Cameron Andrew Couts, WIRED, 6 Apr. 2024
Setup is as easy as plugging in the HDMI cable and wall-mounting this low profile sound bar or even setting it on your TV stand.
—Jade Chung-Lee, PCMAG, 5 Apr. 2024
The idea is for two pylons to be attached to a special structure on the tower with cables that are expected to exert a counterforce should the tower start tipping more dangerously.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Ninety-two steel cables are used to hang it, with each being about 3.5 inches wide and 138 feet long.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
Giant counterweight Suspended from 92 thick cables between the 87th and 92nd floors, the golden steel sphere can move about 5 feet in any direction.
—Oscar Holland, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
March Synch Madness Lifts Terrance Martin & Ludacris Songs
Speaking of Future: His favorite season, March Madness, is in full swing across roughly 40% of the channels on your cable dial.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2024
Verb
Mercedes is instead filling that space with all the requisite inverters and cabling to make the eSprinter go.
—Tim Stevens, Ars Technica, 5 Feb. 2024
Researchers are using the above approach to increase power levels on an infrared laser source that achieves unrivaled power via, among other tricks, vibrations in the fiber optic cables themselves.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 Dec. 2023
Crystal’s sweater is timeless and lush—fuzzy, generously cut, and extravagantly cabled, with a tall collar and close-fitting cuffs designed to keep warmth in.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2023
In 2010, the service expanded to a satellite TV station, and then to cable in 2012, using a subscription model like HBO or NFL Network.
—Sasha Richie, Dallas News, 10 July 2023
The journalists were frustrated at being muzzled, but were powerless in the face of a system designed to control every word cabled from Moscow.
—Alan Philps, Town & Country, 5 July 2023
In wake of Tucker Carlson’s ouster, will cable news turn down the volume?
—Katie Robertson, BostonGlobe.com, 30 June 2023
With a portfolio spanning across networks like E!, Bravo, Syfy and USA Network, NBCUniversal is bringing plenty of new programs to cable for fans of unscripted reality television and sci-fi drama.
—Sophia Scorziello, Variety, 9 May 2023
But why is football worth so much to cable?
—Aaron Pressman, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin capulum lasso, from Latin capere to take — more at heave entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
circa 1500, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of cable was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing cable
Dictionary Entries Near cable
Cite this Entry
“Cable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cable. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
cable
1 of 2 noun
ca·ble
ˈkā-bəl
1
: a very strong thick rope, wire, or chain
2
: a wire or wire rope by which force is applied to operate a piece of machinery
brake cable
3
: a bundle of electrical wires held together usually around a central core
4
5
cable
2 of 2 verb
cabled; cabling
ˈkā-b(ə-)liŋ
1
: to fasten or provide with a cable
2
: to telegraph by cable
Biographical Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on cable
Nglish: Translation of cable for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of cable for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cable
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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