plug

noun

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\ 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

5a : hydrant, fireplug

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

verb

plugged; plugging

Definition of plug (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

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

Other Words from plug Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About plug

Synonyms for plug

Synonyms: Verb

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.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun British rocker Elvis Costello is pulling the plug on one of his songs – rather than altering it. — Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2022 On Tuesday, the Fox network gave its verdict, pulling the plug on a planned live broadcast from the New Year’s Eve event. — NBC News, 23 Dec. 2021 That doesn’t necessarily mean making a hard pivot or pulling the plug, however. — Expert Panel®, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2021 House Democratic leaders are pulling the plug on infrastructure this week. — Sarah Kolinovsky, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2021 Microsoft is pulling the plug on LinkedIn in China, following interference from the government in that country. — Chris Morris, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2021 Coming off a solid first season, the popular crime drama returns just as Robyn McCall (Queen Latifah) considers pulling the plug on her risky vigilante work. — Tribune News Service, cleveland, 10 Oct. 2021 President Buhari said that this contributed to the federal government pulling the plug on Twitter in June. — Anita Patrick, CNN, 1 Oct. 2021 Will pulling the plug on the jobless benefits nudge people back into the workforce? — Jessica Hullinger, The Week, 6 Sep. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Instead, plug the device directly into a wall outlet, and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on how long the space heater should be used. — Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2022 The Android emergency call system will now only consider simpler telephony providers that plug into the default phone app, like your carrier account. — Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 5 Jan. 2022 In the first round of 1997 NCAA Tournament, UConn lost Shea Ralph, then a freshman spark-plug off the bench, to an ACL tear. — Alexa Philippou, courant.com, 25 Dec. 2021 Before the franchise is resurrected, plug back in with us and reexplore all the dimensions of the Matrix. — Richard Newby, Vulture, 23 Dec. 2021 The heat will probably be blasting, and someone will plug music into the sound system. — Washington Post, 17 Dec. 2021 Some state and local governments also remain on shaky ground, using bond money to plug budget gaps or relying on stimulus funds to paper over financial problems. — Heather Gillers, WSJ, 29 Dec. 2021 As the disaster continues, there will be more holes to plug, and more money spent on funding the people who promise to reimagine care as a consumer good. — Molly Osberg, The New Republic, 28 Dec. 2021 Many of my friends own nicer, newer Macs, but my 2013 model is the only one that can plug straight into a TV's HDMI port to stream Formula 1. — Parker Hall, Wired, 18 Oct. 2021

These 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.

Learn More About plug

Dictionary Entries Near plug

pluffy

plug

plug and feather

Statistics for plug

Last Updated

27 Jan 2022

Cite this Entry

“Plug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plug. Accessed 27 Jan. 2022.

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More Definitions for plug

plug

noun

English 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

: outlet sense 4

plug

verb

English 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

: to shoot (someone) with a gun

See the full definition for plug in the English Language Learners Dictionary

plug

noun

\ ˈpləg