hem

1 of 5

noun

1
: a border of a cloth article doubled back and stitched down
2
: rim, margin
bright green hem of reeds about the pondsR. M. Lockley

hem

2 of 5

verb (1)

hemmed; hemming

transitive verb

1
a
: to finish with a hem
b
2
: to surround in a restrictive manner : confine
usually used with in
hemmed in by enemy troops

intransitive verb

: to make a hem in sewing
hemmer noun

hem

3 of 5

verb (2)

hemmed; hemming

intransitive verb

1
: to utter the sound represented by hem
hemmed and hawed before answering
2
: equivocate
the administration hemmed and hawed over the students' demands

hem

4 of 5

interjection

usually read as
ˈhem How to pronounce hem (audio)
often used to indicate a vocalized pause in speaking

hem-

5 of 5

combining form

variants or hemo-
: blood
hemagglutination
hemoflagellate

Examples of hem in a Sentence

Noun shorten the hem of the dress the hem of the blouse was gold
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
However Kravitz made one addition which pushed it in a more playful direction: a pair of punchy purple satin flat shoes that looked like indulgent smoking slippers popping through her trouser hems. 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
Verb
Showing Frankfurters how American football should be played, Chiefs defenders hemmed in and roughed up Dolphins star Tyreek Hill. 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
Verb
Biden administration says Trump set the stage for Afghan collapse Despite admitting mistakes, the Biden administration spent the first pages of its unclassified report arguing that it had been hemmed in by former President Donald Trump. 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 See More

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

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of hem was before the 12th century

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.

Kids Definition

hem

1 of 5 noun
: a border of a garment or cloth made by folding back an edge and sewing it down

hem

2 of 5 verb
hemmed; hemming
1
: to finish with or make a hem in sewing
2
: to surround in a confining manner
a town hemmed in by mountains
hemmer noun

hem

3 of 5 verb
hemmed; hemming
1
: to make a sound during a pause in speaking which is usually written as hem
2
: to hesitate in speaking

hem

4 of 5 interjection
a throat-​clearing sound; often read as
ˈhem How to pronounce hem (audio)
often used to indicate a pause in speaking

hem-

5 of 5 combining form
variants or hemo-
: blood
Etymology

Noun

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

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