fasten

verb

fas·ten ˈfa-sᵊn

fastened; fastening ˈfas-niŋ

ˈfa-sᵊn-iŋ

Synonyms of fasten next

transitive verb

: to attach especially by pinning, tying, or nailing

: to make fast and secure

: to fix firmly or securely

: to secure against opening

: to fix or set steadily

fastened her attention on the main problem

: to take a firm grip with

the dog fastened its teeth in the shoe

: to attach (oneself) persistently and usually objectionably

: to place forcefully : impose

fastened the blame on the wrong person

intransitive verb

: to become fast or fixed

: to take a firm grip or hold

: to focus attention

fastener

ˈfas-nər

ˈfa-sᵊn-ər

noun

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

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. See More

Recent Examples on the Web First, drill guide holes then fasten the brackets to the wall using a drill or screwdriver. —

Alyssa Gautieri, Good Housekeeping, 31 Aug. 2023 In 2016, Wu performed a scleral buckle surgery—fastening a belt around the eye to fix the retina into place—on a 14-year-old girl, a student at an elite high school in Kaohsiung. —

Amit Katwala, WIRED, 22 Aug. 2023 Resigned to his fate, the caption fastened himself to the wheel of the Demeter: choosing to go down with honor and face whatever monster has claimed his men. —

Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 12 Aug. 2023 To keep a duvet insert in place, reach for the eight ties inside the cover to fasten it. —

Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 11 Aug. 2023 Both the loveseat and the chairs come with seat cushions that can be fastened to the furniture with ties. —

Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 4 Aug. 2023 Magnets fastened two $2 bills to the stainless-steel fridge, along with drawings by her kids and a take-out menu from a local food delivery service. —

Ross Kenneth Urken, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2023 After it’s securely fastened, turn the water supply back on and check to make sure there are no leaks underneath your sink. —

Adria Greenhauff, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2023 Gutiérrez Alvarado stops to check on one of his weather-monitoring devices, which is enclosed in barbed wire and fastened down with rocks in the desert. —

Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 12 July 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fasten.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.