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

The phone's exterior frame includes a loop for a lanyard, as well as physical keys to activate push-to-talk and emergency outreach shortcuts. —Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 21 Feb. 2026

The setup relies on a breakaway safety clasp, a small mechanism engineered to pop open under force to prevent strangulation, like the badge lanyards at any conference. —Eric Sullivan, Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2026

The pins come in all shapes and sizes, usually made of enamel and secured on a lanyard, vest, scarf or beanie with a butterfly clasp in the back. —Rachel Treisman, NPR, 21 Feb. 2026

The downtown streets were filled with people wearing large, colorful SXSW festival passes dangling from lanyards around their necks. —Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 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