\ ˈpləg 
\
\Definition of plug
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a : a piece used to fill a hole : stopper
b : an obtruding or obstructing mass of material resembling a stopper
2 : a flat compressed cake of tobacco
3 : a small core or segment removed from a larger object
4 : something inferior especially : an inferior often aged or unsound horse
b : spark plug
6 : an artificial fishing lure used primarily for casting and made with one or more sets of gang hooks
7 : any of various devices resembling or functioning like a plug: such as
a : a male fitting for making an electrical connection to a live circuit by insertion in a receptacle (such as an outlet)
b : a device for connecting electric wires to a jack
8 : a piece of favorable publicity or a favorable mention usually incorporated in general matter
plug
verbplugged; plugging
Definition of plug (Entry 2 of 2)
1a : to stop, make tight, or secure by inserting a plug
b : to remedy (a deficiency) as if by inserting a plug
trying to plug the gaps in their understanding
2 : to hit with a bullet : shoot
3 : to advertise or publicize insistently
1 : to become plugged —usually used with up
2 : to work doggedly and persistently
plugged away at her homework
3 : to fire shots
plug into
1 : to connect or become connected to by or as if by means of a plug
the city was plugged into the new highway system
2 : to load into as if by means of a plug
plugged the data into a computer
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Examples of plug in a Sentence
Verb
We were able to plug the hole with cement.
One of the DJs on the local radio station has been plugging the band's new album.
He plugged him right in the chest.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Block heaters are why your neighbor’s definitely-not-hybrid Ford F-250 may have a three-prong plug poking out of its grille.
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Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, "How Long to Warm Up Your Car When It’s Cold," 10 Dec. 2020 Most early electric appliances — and Christmas lights — had a screw-in electric plug, like that of a light bulb.
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Kevin Dayhoff, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Dayhoff: Tracing the history of Christmas decorations in Carroll County and beyond," 4 Dec. 2020 My ambition, once endlessly vital, has begun to feel like trying to fill a bath without a plug.
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Vicky Spratt, refinery29.com, "Is Ambition Dead?," 4 Dec. 2020 The date code is engraved on one of the prongs of the electrical plug and on the bottom of the base.
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Sarah Brookbank, The Enquirer, "Crock-Pot recalls more than 940,000 multi-cookers due to burn risk," 25 Nov. 2020 Ad Observer is a browser plug-in that Facebook users voluntarily install.
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Cory Doctorow, Wired, "Facebook Is Going After Its Critics in the Name of Privacy," 20 Nov. 2020 Apple stopped including a power plug with the iPhone 12, and previous iPhone adapters only supported slower 5-watt charging speeds.
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Dan Patterson, CBS News, "Getting started with MagSafe, the iPhone 12's best new feature," 20 Nov. 2020 In the previous Maybach, the stretch in the floorpan was accomplished by adding a supplemental stamped plug to the regular S-class floor.
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John Pearley Huffman, Car and Driver, "2021 Mercedes-Maybach S580 Luxury Liner Has It All, and Then Some," 19 Nov. 2020 The rear of the PlayStation 5 contains more vents and plenty of ports — two USB-A ports, an Ethernet jack, HDMI out and a power plug.
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Jacob Krol, CNN Underscored, "Spider-Man: Miles Morales casts an engaging adventure for the new PS5," 9 Nov. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Note: Don't ever plug a space heater into a power strip, extension cord, or surge protector.
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Matt Jancer, Wired, "Gear and Tips to Winter-Proof Your Home and Stay Warm," 3 Jan. 2021 But Brauer said the prospective F-150 owner might not be as resistant to a hybrid truck as American buyers in general have been to hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars, which still make up a slim segment of overall sales.
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Tribune News Service, cleveland, "Ford’s new F-150: America’s favorite pickup goes hybrid (in more ways than one)," 2 Jan. 2021 But The Wall Street Journal reported last year that only 10% of the collection was being used for charity, with the majority going to plug the deficit.
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Francis X. Rocca, WSJ, "Vatican Kick-Starts Financial Overhaul, Pressed by Scandals, Deficit," 28 Dec. 2020 But Brauer said the prospective F-150 owner might not be as resistant to a hybrid truck as American buyers in general have been to hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars, which still make up a slim segment of overall sales.
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Dallas News, "Ford’s new F-150: America’s favorite pickup goes hybrid (in more ways than one)," 26 Dec. 2020 Jeep has announced that the Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid will start at $49,490 in Sahara trim.
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Colin Beresford, Car and Driver, "2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Plug-In Hybrid Starts at $49,490," 23 Dec. 2020 Since a leaky roof could have dire consequences in space, and no plumbers or electricians are going to make a house call, astronauts are trained to repair the toilet or plug leaks.
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Washington Post, "The International Space Station can’t stay up there forever. Will privately run, commercial replacements be ready in time?," 23 Dec. 2020 In Rwanda, where only about a quarter of the population has access to electricity, the government’s aim to plug the entire country into the grid by 2024 looks unrealistic.
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Todd Gillespie, Bloomberg.com, "East Africa’s Electric Motorbikes Are Fueling a Carbon-Free Future," 22 Dec. 2020 The state’s current $35 billion budget used more than $900 million in federal coronavirus aid to plug massive budget gaps from plummeting tax revenues.
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Tristan Baurick, NOLA.com, "Facing budget crisis, Louisiana wildlife agency to ask state for $20 million in emergency funds," 19 Dec. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plug.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for plug
plug
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of plug
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a part at the end of an electric cord that has two or three metal pins that connect the cord to a source of electricity
: a part at the end of a wire or cable that is used to connect machines or devices
: a thing that is used to close a hole in a container or object
plug
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of plug (Entry 2 of 2)
: to fill or cover (a hole, space, etc.) with something
: to praise (something, such as a book, movie, or restaurant) publicly in a way that makes people want to buy it, see it, etc. : to advertise (something) by talking about it especially on the radio or television
US, informal + old-fashioned : to shoot (someone) with a gun
See the full definition for plug in the English Language Learners Dictionary
plug
noun\ ˈpləg \
\Kids Definition of plug
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : a device usually on a cord used to make an electrical connection by putting it into another part (as a socket)
2 : a piece (as of wood or metal) used to stop up or fill a hole
plug
verbplugged; plugging
Kids Definition of plug (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : to connect to an electric circuit
Plug in the lamp.
2 : to stop or make tight with something that fills a hole
3 : to keep steadily at work or in action
I plugged away at my homework.
plug
noun\ ˈpləg \
\Medical Definition of plug
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a piece of material (as wood or alloy) used or serving to fill a hole: as
a : the piece in a cock that can be turned to regulate the flow of liquid or gas
b : an obstructing mass of material in a bodily vessel or opening (as of the cervix or a skin lesion)
c : a filling for a hollow tooth
plug
transitive verbplugged; plugging
Medical Definition of plug (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : to stop, make tight, or secure (as an opening) by or as if by insertion of a plug : close an opening in
2 : to fill a cavity in (a tooth)
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Comments on plug
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Time Traveler for plug
The first known use of plug was in 1606
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