fasten

verb fas·ten \ ˈfa-sᵊn \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of fasten

fastened; fastening play \ˈfas-niŋ, ˈfa-sᵊn-iŋ\

transitive verb

1 a : to attach especially by pinning, tying, or nailing

b : to make fast and secure

c : to fix firmly or securely

d : to secure against opening

2 : to fix or set steadily

fastened her attention on the main problem

3 : to take a firm grip with

the dog fastened its teeth in the shoe

4 a : to attach (oneself) persistently and usually objectionably

b : to place forcefully : impose

fastened the blame on the wrong person

intransitive verb

1 : to become fast or fixed

2 a : to take a firm grip or hold

b : to focus attention

—

fastener

play \ˈfas-nər, ˈfa-sᵊn-ər\ noun

See fasten defined for English-language learners

See fasten defined for kids

Examples of fasten in a Sentence

fastening clothes on a clothesline
He fastened the dog's leash to a post and went into the store.
two boards fastened together by nails
a decorative clasp that could be used to fasten a cape or cloak
a shoe that fastens with a buckle
This dress fastens in the back.
She twisted her hair into a bun and fastened it with bobby pins.
Make sure the lid is tightly fastened.
The lock was so damaged it wouldn't fasten.
He fastened his hands on my arm and wouldn't let go.

Recent Examples of fasten from the Web

The two-person White Lightning tent can support a roof rack to securely fasten gear like bikes, kayaks or surfboards on top of the shell.

— brigid mander, WSJ, "The Easiest Place to Camp? On Top of Your Car," 4 Apr. 2018
No offense to Bezos or other capitalists, but the moral conscience of a billionaire is a precarious branch upon which to fasten something so weighty as the freedom of the press.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Milton Friedman Predicted Socialism Would Kill Democracy. Instead, Trump Is.," 3 Apr. 2018
Cut the parts to size, fasten them, and belt-sand any irregularities.

— roy berendson, Popular Mechanics, "6 Simple Projects You Can Make From Scrap Wood," 21 Mar. 2018
Markle was wearing a long white coat fastened only at the waist with a small round hat in white perched on the side of her head.

— maria puente, USA TODAY, "Meghan Markle joins queen in first official appearance together," 12 Mar. 2018
Use a hot glue gun to fasten a row of feather ribbon around the clutch.

— sarah newell, Seventeen, "15 Amazing Prom Hacks To Make It Your Most Stylish Night Ever," 6 Jan. 2017
This part has a thermal paste pre-smeared on its bottom that fastens the aluminum heatsink to the chip, making for more effective heat transfer.

— brendan nystedt, WIRED, "Want to Learn More About Computers? Try Building Your Own PC," 4 Apr. 2018
According to Rupert Millar of the Drink Business, the reason the container was fastened so firmly is thanks to a seal of natural fibers, which has guarded the liquid over the millennia.

— julissa treviño, Smithsonian, "Bottle of 2,000-Year-Old Rice Wine Found in Chinese Tomb," 26 Mar. 2018
Use thin metal craft wire to fasten them to the branch.

— clare miers, star-telegram, "Hatch a plan for your own Easter egg tree, perfect for a table centerpiece | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 23 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of fasten

Middle English fastnen, from Old English fæstnian to make fast; akin to Old High German festinōn to make fast, Old English fæst fast

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

fasten Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of fasten

fasten, fix, attach, affix mean to make something stay firmly in place. fasten implies an action such as tying, buttoning, nailing, locking, or otherwise securing.

- fasten the reins to a post

fix usually implies a driving in, implanting, or embedding.

- fixed the stake in the ground

attach suggests a connecting or uniting by a bond, link, or tie in order to keep things together.

- attach the W-2 form here

affix implies an imposing of one thing on another by gluing, impressing, or nailing.

- affix your address label here

FASTEN Defined for English Language Learners

fasten

verb

Definition of fasten for English Language Learners

: to attach (something) or join (two things or two parts of something) especially by using a pin, nail, etc.
of parts of something : to become attached or joined
: to put something in a position or location in such a way that it will not move