lanyard

noun

lan·​yard ˈlan-yərd 

1

: a piece of rope or line for fastening something in a ship

especially : one of the pieces passing through deadeyes to extend shrouds or stays

2

a

: a cord or strap to hold something (such as a knife or a whistle) and usually worn around the neck

b

: a cord worn as a symbol of a military citation

3

: a strong line used to activate a system (as in firing a cannon)

Examples of lanyard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tourists in national team shirts and officials and media members with credential lanyards around their necks are roaming around Bayside Marketplace. —Miami Herald, 11 June 2026

Picard trained as a lanyard man, the puller of the firing cord. —Kevin Maurer, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026

What if the work badge at the end of your lanyard had a touchscreen, 5G connectivity, a camera, microphones, and a fingerprint scanner? —ArsTechnica, 2 June 2026

In the foreground, Tom's expo credential lanyard hangs from a chain link fence. —Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lanyer thong, lanyard, from Anglo-French lanier

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lanyard

• spaniard

Kids Definition

lanyard

noun

lan·​yard ˈlan-yərd 

1

: a rope or line for fastening something in ships

2

: a cord worn around the neck or shoulder to hold a knife or whistle

3

: a strong cord used in firing a cannon