cement

noun

ce·ment | \ si-ˈment also ˈsē-ment

Definition of cement

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : concrete

b : a powder of alumina, silica, lime, iron oxide, and magnesium oxide burned together in a kiln and finely pulverized and used as an ingredient of mortar and concrete also : any mixture used for a similar purpose

2 : a binding element or agency: such as

a : a substance to make objects adhere to each other

b : something serving to unite firmly justice is the cement that holds a political community together— R. M. Hutchins

3 : cementum

4 : a plastic composition made especially of zinc or silica for filling dental cavities

5 : the fine-grained groundmass or glass of a porphyry

cement

verb

cemented; cementing; cements

Definition of cement (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to unite or make firm by or as if by cement Pebbles were cemented together by clay. has cemented his role as a leader on the team— T. W. Smith

2 : to overlay with concrete cemented the cellar floor

intransitive verb

: to become cemented

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Synonyms for cement

Synonyms: Noun

adhesive, bond, glue, size

Examples of cement in a Sentence

Noun

There is a layer of cement under the bricks. what kind of cement works best on glass and pottery?

Verb

A win would cement her reputation as a strong competitor.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Brexit meant that trade would complement security and intelligence as the cement of the special relationship. — Martin Farr, Quartz, "Donald Trump’s state visit is a sorry sign of the times for the UK," 4 June 2019 Here's what happens: When the concrete is heated, the cement inside becomes dehydrated, losing some of its water as vapor. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Watch Concrete Blow Up When Heated (and See Why It Happens)," 6 May 2019 The Cygnus holds a student cement-mixing experiment, as well as an atom-cooling chamber from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory that uses lasers to get temperatures colder than even space itself. — OrlandoSentinel.com, "NASA shipper Orbital ATK launches space-station supplies," 21 May 2018 Lidia looks down at the cold cement floor, not knowing how to answer her husband. — Lauren Bohn, Marie Claire, "Who Killed Claudia Gomez?," 2 May 2019 Naadam’s Prince Street store may just be the ultimate expression of this new KonMari consumerism: The entire shop carries a single item, a $75 unisex cashmere crew neck sweater in a variety of colors, from camel to cement. — Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, "Who Needs Gender? Why Men and Women Are Dressing Identically," 21 Feb. 2019 Now widely considered a masterpiece of erotic fiction, the novel did much to cement Salter’s literary reputation, if not his mass appeal, in the years leading up to his death in 2015. — New York Times, "James Salter’s ‘Blue, Indolent’ Corner of Burgundy," 5 June 2018 During the recent installation of his invention, Babcock leaned from the basket of an orange hydraulic lift and poured a bucket of cement into the cylinder of a 13-foot-tall device named Mechanical Babe. — Vincent T. Davis, San Antonio Express-News, "Elephants at Zoo receive enrichment project from UTSA Honors College students," 10 Apr. 2018 Large-scale cement tiles on the floor balance the coffered wood ceiling— and make floor clean-up a breeze. — Joanna Linberg, Sunset, "Stunning DIY Renovation Brightens a Spanish Colonial Revival Home," 22 Jan. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The Younger actress has cemented her status as TV's favorite ruthless, but lovable (and often hilarious) boss. — Lauren Alexis Fisher, Harper's BAZAAR, "Miriam Shor On Season 6 of 'Younger' and How Diana Trout Empowered Her to Pursue Directing," 13 May 2019 As a performer and model, Grace has cemented her place in fashion history, appearing on the covers of magazines including Essence, Vogue, and more. — Teen Vogue, "17 of the Campiest Outfits from Grace Jones Made for the Met Gala 2019," 6 May 2019 After five seasons of the show (which left the air last year), shiplap has cemented itself in the modern design lexicon as the cornerstone of a certain kind of Instagram-ready, nouveau-farmhouse decor. — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, "The Real Story Behind Joanna Gaines's Beloved Shiplap," 12 Feb. 2019 For over 20 years, the Grammy winner has cemented her place in music history as one of the most successful musicians ever. — Jessica Radloff, Glamour, "LeAnn Rimes Is Doing Her First Hallmark Christmas Movie—But on Her Terms," 9 Nov. 2018 But Amazon has already cemented loyalty with its Prime membership, in which members pay $119 a year or $12.99 a month for fast delivery, access to Amazon’s movie streaming service and other perks. — Joseph Pisani, The Seattle Times, "Amazon posts another record profit, but revenue disappoints," 26 Oct. 2018 In the 16 whirlwind months since Lili Reinhart got her big break as Betty on the hit CW show Riverdale, the actress has cemented her place as a body positivity role model. — Julie Mazziotta, PEOPLE.com, "Riverdale's Lili Reinhart Says She Doesn't Look 'Airbrushed' in Real Life," 3 July 2018 If anything, the mishaps have only cemented her ongoing legacy as a performer and icon. — Sam Tornow, Billboard, "7 Times Beyonce Was a Pro During Concert Mishaps," 2 July 2018 Trump said his decision would cement the Jewish state’s ability to defend itself from regional threats should a broad Arab-Israeli peace deal ever be reached. — Deb Riechmann, The Seattle Times, "Trump signs declaration reversing US policy on Golan Heights," 26 Mar. 2019

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

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Dictionary Entries near cement

Statistics for cement

Last Updated

16 Jun 2019

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Time Traveler for cement

The first known use of cement was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for cement

cement

noun

English Language Learners Definition of cement

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a soft gray powder that is mixed with water and other substances to make concrete

: the hard substance that is made when cement is mixed with water and allowed to dry

: a substance that is used to make things stick together

cement

verb

English Language Learners Definition of cement (Entry 2 of 2)

: to join (things) together with cement

: to make (something) stronger

See the full definition for cement in the English Language Learners Dictionary

cement

noun

ce·ment | \ si-ˈment

Kids Definition of cement

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a powder that is made mainly from compounds of aluminum, calcium, silicon, and iron heated together and then ground and mixed with water to make mortar and concrete

2 : concrete entry 2, mortar

3 : a substance used to make things stick together firmly

cement

verb

cemented; cementing

Kids Definition of cement (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to join together with or as if with cement There were sheets of ice … cementing the tops of the hemlocks in arches.— Jean Craighead George, My Side of the Mountain

2 : to make stronger The experience cemented their friendship.