hem

1 of 5

noun

ˈhem 

1

: a border of a cloth article doubled back and stitched down

2

: rim, margin

… bright green hem of reeds about the pond …

—R. M. Lockley

hem

2 of 5

verb (1)

hemmed; hemming

transitive verb

1

a

: to finish with a hem

b

: border, edge

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)

ˈhem 

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 

—often used to indicate a vocalized pause in speaking

hem-

5 of 5

combining form

variants or hemo-

: blood

hemagglutination

hemoflagellate

Synonyms of hem

Noun

• edge
• circumference
• perimeter
• edging
• border
• confines
• boundary
• skirt
• rim
• end

Verb (1)

• house
• wall (in)
• box (in)
• fence (in)
• include

Examples of hem in a Sentence

Noun

shorten the hem of the dress

the hem of the blouse was gold

Verb (1)

a village hemmed in on all sides by mountains

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Her outfit stayed inside Browne’s gray suit vocabulary, layering a glen-check blazer with strong shoulders layered over a matching waist panel and pleated detail at the hip, finished with the brand’s red-white-blue grosgrain tab at the hem. —Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 7 Feb. 2026

Some of the hundreds of volunteers rolled prop carts around and helped carry the hem of Mariah Carey's dress. —Pien Huang, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026

Verb

In a pinch, wearing heels or using some iron-on hemming tape can also help. —Andrea Bossi, Refinery29, 29 Jan. 2026

Spanx SpanxSuperSmooth Stretch Twill Wide-leg Pant Spanx has become my go-to brand for flattering and comfortable travel pants, thanks to their petite-friendly styles that never need to be hemmed. —Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 28 Jan. 2026

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 1b

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Interjection

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hem

• hem and haw

Rhymes for hem

• clem
• em
• femme
• gem
• phlegm
• rem
• stem
• them
• atm
• chernozem
• diadem
• ibidem

Kids Definition

hem

1 of 5 noun

ˈhem 

: 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 

—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"