Synonyms
Examples of hem in a Sentence
Emma Spedding, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2023
Thick banded cuffs and hems allow the zip-up hoodie to sit flat against your body, creating a more streamlined look and feel free of bulk associated with other hoodies.
—Marissa Miller, Travel + Leisure, 21 Nov. 2023
Anne Hathaway is taking her fashion to new heights and her shorts to higher hems.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023
The ruffled peplum hem gives the top a romantic touch that seamlessly complements the beautiful puff sleeves.
—Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2023
The high neck and halter style provide a classic silhouette, while the tassels and high split fringed hem bring the Gatsby glam.
—Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2023
The men wore gold and white, the women bright two-piece garments consisting of hooded smocks and skirts, the hem of one matching the hem of the other.
—Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023
Richie wore a white beaded sheer top over a white silk skirt with a beaded hem.
—Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 7 Nov. 2023
The smooth dark wash and trousers-style hem lend a polished finish.
—Paula Lee, Glamour, 7 Nov. 2023
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2023
From left: The Gaza Strip in 2017 is hemmed in by the Gaza-Israel barrier, also known as the Iron Wall.
—Curbed, 20 Oct. 2023
But by then, McCarthy had struck deals with those hard-liners that hemmed him in.
—Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2023
All that’s to say, Hoshikawa is already planning on bribing her sister, a Parsons design student, to hem it for her.
—Eliza Huber, refinery29.com, 20 July 2023
According to the lawsuit, Mr. Trump has a 30 percent share of the entity that owns the building, and is hemmed in by the rules of the partnership, which limit Mr. Trump’s ability to sell his share.
—Rukmini Callimachi, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2023
As shoppers who fall on the shorter side know all too well, finding a great pair of jeans that don’t need to be hemmed can be challenging.
—Emily Cieslak, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2023
China has pushed back, claiming that that a coalition of foreign countries conspires to hem China in and isolate it.
—Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 28 Aug. 2023
There’s no reason that Goldsberry, with her boundless charisma and her ability to find all the shapes and textures of a song, should feel hemmed in when the verse becomes spoken.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2023
Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2023
Though the city encourages outdoor dining to add ambiance and verve to the square, the small restaurants, cafes and shops are squeezed together and their front doors are hemmed in by the narrow sidewalks that surround the courthouse.
—John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2023
Some councilors pointed to the limitations of the strong-mayor system, which hems in council authority.
—Emma Platoff, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Mar. 2023
And state legislatures can act, too, though even there the Court may hem in their ability to, say, set mileage restrictions on cars—in fact, Republican attorneys general from around the country have already filed suit in the D.C. circuit court to do just that.
—Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 30 June 2022
Try to hem them in their zone.
—Matthew Defranks, Dallas News, 31 Mar. 2021
But remember, that extra $15 to hem a stylish pair of pants will make all the difference in the world, so just do it.
—Maverick Li, Men's Health, 3 Feb. 2023
Most of Legend’s preferred candidates favor ending cash bail, for example, and not pursuing charges for low-level offenses that disproportionately hem up people of color.
—Erika D. Smithcolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2022
After attaching the tabs and facing pieces, all that's left to do is hem the bottom of each panel.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hem.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Noun
Middle English, from Old English; akin to Middle High German hemmen to hem in, Armenian kamel to press
Interjection
imitative
Combining form
Latin haem-, haemo-, from Greek haim-, haimo-, from haima
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Verb (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Interjection
circa 1525, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing hem
Dictionary Entries Near hem
Cite this Entry
“Hem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hem. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.
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Kids Definition
hem
1 of 5 nounhem
2 of 5 verbhem
3 of 5 verbhem
4 of 5 interjection
hem-
5 of 5 combining formNoun
Old English hem "border on a garment"
Interjection
an imitation of the throat-clearing sound
Combining form
derived from Greek haima "blood"
More from Merriam-Webster on hem
Nglish: Translation of hem for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of hem for Arabic Speakers
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