1
: an ornament inserted in the lobe of the ear especially to distend it
2
: a device of pliable material for insertion into the outer opening of the ear (as to keep out water or deaden sound)
Examples of earplug in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Most workers wore earplugs to drown out the hoses and roaring machines.
—
Hannah Dreier Meridith Kohut, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023
Other videos highlight more issues: The screens at the main stage—which display the accompanying visuals to the music—stopped working in the middle of artists’ sets, water bottle refill stations broke down, and medical tents did not offer earplugs.
—Paige Hagy, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2023
This is to say nothing of my electronic devices, their various charging cables, my sleep mask, and my earplugs.
—Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 7 July 2023
The everyday earplugs come in six colors: purple, blue, light green, black, honey, and white.
—Lauren Fischer, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2023
The veterans in the earplug litigation — the largest mass tort in U.S. history — say 3M and Aearo Technologies, which 3M acquired in 2008, produced faulty earplugs and provided them to the U.S. military, failing to protect users from hearing loss.
—Harold Maass, The Week, 28 Aug. 2023
Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone Earplugs $12 at Amazon Soft, moldable, and extremely effective, these silicone earplugs are our go-to tool for blocking out the world on a long flight.
—Mike Richard, Men's Health, 18 Aug. 2023
The earplugs were used by the US military in training and combat from 2003 to 2015.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 29 Aug. 2023
The earplugs were originally manufactured by Aearo Technologies, which 3M acquired in 2008.
—BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2023
See More
Hannah Dreier Meridith Kohut, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023
Other videos highlight more issues: The screens at the main stage—which display the accompanying visuals to the music—stopped working in the middle of artists’ sets, water bottle refill stations broke down, and medical tents did not offer earplugs.
—Paige Hagy, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2023
This is to say nothing of my electronic devices, their various charging cables, my sleep mask, and my earplugs.
—Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 7 July 2023
The everyday earplugs come in six colors: purple, blue, light green, black, honey, and white.
—Lauren Fischer, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2023
The veterans in the earplug litigation — the largest mass tort in U.S. history — say 3M and Aearo Technologies, which 3M acquired in 2008, produced faulty earplugs and provided them to the U.S. military, failing to protect users from hearing loss.
—Harold Maass, The Week, 28 Aug. 2023
Mack's Pillow Soft Silicone Earplugs $12 at Amazon Soft, moldable, and extremely effective, these silicone earplugs are our go-to tool for blocking out the world on a long flight.
—Mike Richard, Men's Health, 18 Aug. 2023
The earplugs were used by the US military in training and combat from 2003 to 2015.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 29 Aug. 2023
The earplugs were originally manufactured by Aearo Technologies, which 3M acquired in 2008.
—BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'earplug.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near earplug
Cite this Entry
“Earplug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earplug. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.
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Medical Definition
earplug
noun
ear·plug
-ˌpləg 
: a device of pliable material for insertion into the outer opening of the ear (as to keep out water or deaden sound)
More from Merriam-Webster on earplug
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about earplug
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