glue

noun

\ ˈglü

Definition of glue

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : any of various strong adhesive substances especially : a hard protein chiefly gelatinous substance that absorbs water to form a viscous solution with strong adhesive properties and that is obtained by cooking down collagenous materials (such as hides or bones)

b : a solution of glue used for sticking things together

2 : something that binds together enough social glue … to satisfy the human desire for community— E. D. Hirsch, Jr.

glue

verb

glued; gluing also glueing

Definition of glue (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to cause to stick tightly with or as if with glue gluing the parts together used that war to glue together a frail story— Gloria Emerson

2 : to cause to remain continuously or to be fixed steadily —usually used with to the spectators were glued to their seatsall eyes glued to the TV screen

Other Words from glue Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about glue

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Synonyms for glue

Synonyms: Noun

Examples of glue in a Sentence

Noun The hardware store offers several different glues. used glue to stick the photo in the album Verb I glued the pieces of the cup back together.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun At one point in its history, Mr. Colalucci said, the wall had been coated in a glue concocted from horses’ hoofs. — Emily Langer, Washington Post, "Gianluigi Colalucci, who gave fresh color to Michelangelo’s frescoes, dies at 91," 9 Apr. 2021 JoJo and Jessalyn would make them with hot glue guns and rhinestones at home in Omaha in between dance competitions and sell them in salons. — Jason Sheeler, PEOPLE.com, "Inside JoJo Siwa’s 'Normal' World: 'Of Course I Have Breakdowns — I'm a Teenager'," 7 Apr. 2021 The study’s analysis turned up cattle DNA, the likely result of animal glue once used to help preserve the skull, so the skull’s true age is unknown. — Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, "Some of Europe’s Oldest-Known Modern Humans Are Distantly Related to Native Americans," 7 Apr. 2021 Despite the explosive growth of digital technology that is powering CX today, frontline employees remain the glue that holds it all together. — Chris Wallace, Forbes, "Solving The Employee Experience And Customer Experience Equation," 6 Apr. 2021 Stray doesn’t need to push the point that the wild dogs are welcomed more freely than these painfully young men, who huff glue and sell packets of Kleenex to get by while being denied work permits. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, "The Best Movies of 2021 (So Far)," 5 Apr. 2021 Last, use wood glue and brad nails to attach the 11-inch 2x2s above each shelf end. — Chelsea Evers, Better Homes & Gardens, "Transport Your Kitchen with These Tips for Creating a Provincial Pantry," 2 Apr. 2021 These are the staples that Ffrench (the multi-media artist who would politely ask a crowd to step out of the good light while glue-sticking crystals to eyebrows backstage) uses IRL. — Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, "Isamaya Ffrench on Creating Casual, “Cozy” Makeup for Byredo’s New Collection," 1 Apr. 2021 Use exterior-grade glue and 1¼-inch finish nails to assemble the planter box panels. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "Double Duty: A Trellis Planter for Plants and Privacy," 27 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb These prey-seeking, pressurized nematode guns are programmed to glue themselves to a surface, barrel pointed upward. — Jennifer Frazer, Scientific American, "How a Carnivorous Mushroom Poisons Its Prey," 8 Apr. 2021 To do the same, use a silicone adhesive to glue tiles to the countertop and let dry according to adhesive package instructions. — Chelsea Evers, Better Homes & Gardens, "Transport Your Kitchen with These Tips for Creating a Provincial Pantry," 2 Apr. 2021 To make an ornament, attach a piece of string to the center of the egg and glue the two egg halves shut to secure the string. — Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, "How to Make 3D Paper Easter Eggs in Six Easy Steps," 16 Mar. 2021 Zebra mussels originated in the Caspian and Black seas regions and are famous for their ability to glue themselves to any hard surface in clusters. — Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Make sure to check your moss balls: Invasive zebra mussels hitch a ride to Wisconsin inside popular aquarium plant," 10 Mar. 2021 The strips are curled into cylinders and welded at the seam, then stretched and cut into fine capillary tubes, which machines glue to plastic hubs. — New York Times, "The World Needs Syringes. He Jumped In to Make 5,900 Per Minute.," 5 Mar. 2021 Inside the Pur Sport, the relatively plush seats of the Sport are replaced by thinner thrones that may as well super glue your butt to their carbon-fiber shells. — John Pearley Huffman, Car and Driver, "2021 Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport Goes to Extremes," 5 Mar. 2021 Working on a flat work surface, glue them in place [6]. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "Three Wine Racks Your Can Build Yourself," 13 Feb. 2021 The grub's fragility puts a lot of pressure on the mother wasp, who must glue its egg in just the right location for its young to survive. — Kenneth C. Catania, Scientific American, "The Epic, Absurdly Complex Battle between a Zombie Maker and Its Victim," 1 Feb. 2021

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