1
a
: 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.
E. D. Hirsch, Jr.
glued; gluing also glueing
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
Gloria Emerson2
: to cause to remain continuously or to be fixed steadily
—usually used with to
The spectators were glued to their seats.
all eyes glued to the TV screen
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
Liz Regalia, Parents, 26 Feb. 2026
Bong described her as being the glue of the family.
—Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Brent Rose, Outside, 28 Feb. 2026
Goodbye to the ‘iPad kid’ era Kids glued to their tablets have become a familiar sight at restaurants.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for glue
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Same goes for curious tweens, explains another Redditor, whose 10-year-old daughter loves making potions with glue, lotion, and even shampoo when doors are closed.
—Liz Regalia, Parents, 26 Feb. 2026
Bong described her as being the glue of the family.
—Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
My gaze remains glued to the front window and the terrain below.
—Brent Rose, Outside, 28 Feb. 2026
Goodbye to the ‘iPad kid’ era Kids glued to their tablets have become a familiar sight at restaurants.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for glue
Cite this Entry
“Glue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glue. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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