ribbon

noun

rib·bon | \ ˈri-bən

Definition of ribbon

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : 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

ribbon

verb

ribboned; ribboning; ribbons

Definition of ribbon (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to adorn with ribbons

b : to divide into ribbons

c : to cover with or as if with ribbons

2 : to rip to shreds

Other Words from ribbon Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about ribbon

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Synonyms for ribbon

Synonyms: Noun

list, slip, strip

Synonyms: Verb

rend, rip, rive, shred, tatter, tear

Examples of ribbon in a Sentence

Noun

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.

Verb

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

An ’80s jewelry revival, for instance, has begot big chunky pearl necklaces unsuitable for ribbon cuttings. — Nancy Macdonell, WSJ, "How Classic Pearls Became Improbably Hip," 11 Dec. 2018 Season after season, the designer has made a point to punctuate her gauzy, girly creations with black satin ribbons and twinkly jeweled barrettes. — Vogue, "Simone Rocha Crowned Chloe Sevigny in Her Signature Sparkling Hair Accessories," 16 Feb. 2019 After a long day in the hot Australian sun, the extra wide brim straw hat with Madeline-esque black velvet ribbon felt like an easy sell. — Macaela Mackenzie, Glamour, "A Wellness Editor's Impulse Buys: $171 of Sunscreen, Gold Hoops, and More," 10 Jan. 2019 Garland decorated with organic textured ribbon leads the way up to the bedrooms. — ELLE Decor, "This Holiday Party Is Anything But Traditional—And We're Obsessed," 30 Nov. 2018 For Markle, the classic cream panama hat with a black ribbon fit the bill. — Anna Millard, refinery29.com, "Yes, You've Seen Meghan Markle's Wimbledon Hat Before," 14 July 2018 Activism was still there on the red carpet, though, with celebrities wearing ribbons in support of the aforementioned movements. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "The Biggest Moments From the 2019 Golden Globes," 6 Jan. 2019 Those in attendance wore silver ribbons in observance of the shooting. — Katherine Schaffstall, The Hollywood Reporter, "Tonys: Parkland Students Perform "Seasons of Love"," 11 June 2018 The team wore ribbons in Doyon's honor during one race. — Dennis Hohenberger, Courant Community, "Road Race Honors Fallen Sailor," 6 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

For decades, the viaduct provided shelter to homeless people below, who lived underneath decks of asphalt and steel that ribboned along the Puget Sound. — Vianna Davila, The Seattle Times, "As the Alaskan Way Viaduct comes down, so does a longtime shelter for Seattle’s homeless," 13 Jan. 2019 One of the original highways in the U.S. highway system, Route 66 stretches from Chicago to Santa Monica, totaling in 2,448 miles of ribboning highway. — Lydia Culp, Fox News, "Best US road trips," 2 Apr. 2018 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

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.