cardboard

1 of 2

noun

card·​board ˈkärd-ˌbȯrd How to pronounce cardboard (audio)
: a material made from cellulose fiber (such as wood pulp) like paper but usually thicker
cardboardy adjective

cardboard

2 of 2

adjective

1
: made of or as if of cardboard
2
: unreal, stereotyped
a play with cardboard characters

Examples of cardboard in a Sentence

Noun Cover the windows with cardboard. Adjective The play had cardboard characters.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
In the thin air, his face goes hot and his body cold; his heart pounds, and his favorite cigar tastes like cardboard. George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024 To make your own, slip some cardboard under the legs of the couch and slide. Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Her family celebrated holidays in hotels with cardboard Christmas trees. Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 6 June 2024 One older trick to protect young stems is fitting the cardboard portion of a toilet paper roll around the stem as a barrier. Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2023 See all Example Sentences for cardboard 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1789, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cardboard was in 1789

Dictionary Entries Near cardboard

Cite this Entry

“Cardboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cardboard. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cardboard

noun
card·​board
ˈkärd-ˌbō(ə)rd,
-ˌbȯ(ə)rd
: a material made from cellulose fiber (as wood pulp) like paper but usually thicker
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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