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
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Effective leaders cultivate both likability and respect, understanding that trust is the essential glue for sustainable leadership and team loyalty, especially during challenging times.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2025
Female geckos glue their eggs to ceilings, walls, or other sheltered surfaces, often leaving behind clusters of rounded, beadlike shapes.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for glue
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
De Sanctis was armed with Q-tips, glue, isopropyl alcohol, lemon oil, and eucalyptus oil (handy for removing any adhesive residue from the surface of a film); a separate room, devoted to slowing or reversing chemical deterioration, gave me an odd sense of having wandered into a witch’s kitchen.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Effective leaders cultivate both likability and respect, understanding that trust is the essential glue for sustainable leadership and team loyalty, especially during challenging times.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
These days, many of us have eyes glued to our phones, laptops, and other digital devices.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2025
Female geckos glue their eggs to ceilings, walls, or other sheltered surfaces, often leaving behind clusters of rounded, beadlike shapes.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for glue
Cite this Entry
“Glue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glue. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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