ribbon

noun rib·bon \ ˈri-bən \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Examples: ribbon in a Sentence

Definition of ribbon

1 a : a flat or tubular narrow closely woven fabric (as of silk or rayon) used for trimmings or knitting

b : a narrow fabric used for tying packages

c : a piece of usually multicolored ribbon worn as a military decoration or in place of a medal

d : a strip of colored satin given for winning a place in a competition

2 : a strip of inked fabric (as in a typewriter)

3 ribbons plural : reins for controlling an animal

4 : tatter, shred —usually used in plural

a sheet cut to ribbons

5 : ribband

—

ribbonlike

play \ˈri-bən-ˌlīk\ adjective

See ribbon defined for English-language learners

See ribbon defined for kids

Examples of ribbon in a Sentence

She wore pink ribbons in her hair.
She tied a ribbon around the present.
The present was tied with ribbon.
The soldier proudly wore his ribbons and medals.
Her pie won a ribbon at the county fair.

Recent Examples of ribbon from the Web

About ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract Salt, preferably fleur de sel, and freshly ground pepper 4 handfuls of mixed salad greens or mesclun Cut the vegetables into ribbons with a vegetable peeler or a mandolin slicer.

— carole kotkin, miamiherald, "There's nothing vanilla about cooking with fragrant, homemade vanilla," 13 June 2018
Decorating her cane with ribbons and flowers turned things around.

— judith graham, courant.com, "Believing Stereotypes About Aging Creates Self-Fulfilling Prophecy," 30 May 2018
In keeping with his wife’s pitch-perfect styling, the pops of navy tied in perfectly with the ribbon on his fedora.

— maria ward, Vogue, "Pippa Middleton and James Matthews Do His-and-Hers Style at the French Open," 28 May 2018
The girls wore faux pearls, and black dresses with yellow ribbons around their waists.

— esmeralda bermudez, latimes.com, "These fifth-graders start out dance-shy, but then they start to shimmy," 26 May 2018
There are dozens of stores along Naples’ high-end Fifth Avenue but only one of them has three Persian cats adorned with fanciful ribbons running around the store floor.

— richard tribou, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Iconic Naples store traffics in whimsy," 25 May 2018
Memorable moments included meeting the other vets, including some who are in their 90s and some decorated with military ribbons.

— julie gallant, Ramona Sentinel, "Veterans return from Honor Flight trip," 16 May 2018
Upstairs is taken up by the owner’s suite: a room with parallel ribbons of hinged mullioned windows and space for a king-size bed and a large sitting area.

— julie lasky, New York Times, "$800,000 Homes in Missouri, Georgia and Pennsylvania," 16 May 2018
The noodles are made from green bean powder, set in boiling water, forming a tender jelly cut into ribbons.

— kara baskin, BostonGlobe.com, "Go out of your way for Sichuan Gourmet," 15 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ribbon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of ribbon

Middle English riban, from Anglo-French ribane, rubane

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

ribbon Synonyms

Synonyms

list, slip, strip;

Related Words

slat;

band, bandage, belt, binding, girth, strap, swatch, swath (or swathe), tape;

ribbon

verb

Definition of ribbon

ribboned; ribboning; ribbons

transitive verb

1 a : to adorn with ribbons

b : to divide into ribbons

c : to cover with or as if with ribbons

2 : to rip to shreds

Examples of ribbon in a Sentence

over the years the historic flag had become badly ribboned by the wind

Recent Examples of ribbon from the Web

Layers of cool hues and ribboned marble give the interior a quiet and calming vibe.

— neal j. leitereg, latimes.com, "Contemporary three-story displays a fresh face in Playa Vista," 2 May 2018
For instance, the exterior of the 33-story glassy tower is punctuated with full-height bay windows, and each floor is ribboned with a horizontal green band.

— pamela dittmer mckuen, chicagotribune.com, "New angular Loop apartment wants you to fall in love with its lines," 21 Dec. 2017
The croissants are Philly’s best, their whorling layers tanged with cultured butter and honey — even better ribboned with intense chocolate.

— craig laban, Philly.com, "Hungry Pigeon serves comfort plates with a cheffy twist," 9 Dec. 2017
In the chef’s kitchen, ribboned calacatta marble countertops pair with custom white cabinetry.

— neal j. leitereg, latimes.com, "Former Angel Gary Matthews Jr. parts with a home base in Corona del Mar," 19 Oct. 2017
Perhaps the best example of this is Lasa’s lumpia sariwa, a menu staple that takes a traditional Filipino rice flour crepe and the cuisine’s signature bright, vinegary sauces and pairs them with a bed of ribboned kale.

— zan romanoff, Bon Appetit, "We Want Everything on the Menu at This New Cali-Filipino Restaurant," 12 Sep. 2017
For me, all the blue and gold ribboned boxes in the world can’t hold a candle to Passover.

— Orange County Register, "Cooking with Judy: Can’t beat the cuisine at the community Seder," 6 Apr. 2017
The English Channel was not a wide strip of water separating present-day England and France, but instead a frozen, river-ribboned tundra connecting the two lands.

— amina khan, latimes.com, "Natural Brexit: Britain's original separation from Europe left scars on English Channel," 5 Apr. 2017
CONSIDER THE BANKER BAG, that tubular gym bag, distinctly ribboned around its girth with the telltale logo of a financial institution.

— jacob gallagher, WSJ, "The Banker Bag Gets a Much-Needed Makeover," 8 Mar. 2017

First Known Use of ribbon

1656

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

RIBBON Defined for English Language Learners

ribbon

noun

Definition of ribbon for English Language Learners

: a narrow piece of cloth (such as silk) that is used to tie things or for decoration
: a short piece of cloth that is given as a military award
: a piece of colored cloth that is given as an award in a competition