seam

noun

\ ˈsēm

Definition of seam

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : the joining of two pieces (as of cloth or leather) by sewing usually near the edge

b : the stitching used in such a joining

2 : the space between adjacent planks or strakes of a ship

3a : a line, groove, or ridge formed by the abutment of edges

b : a thin layer or stratum (as of rock) between distinctive layers also : a bed of valuable mineral and especially coal irrespective of thickness

c : a line left by a cut or wound also : wrinkle

4 : a weak or vulnerable area or gap found a seam in the zone defense

at the seams

: entirely, completely falling apart at the seams

seam

verb

seamed; seaming; seams

Definition of seam (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to join by sewing

b : to join as if by sewing (as by welding, riveting, or heat-sealing)

2 : to mark with lines suggesting seams

intransitive verb

: to become fissured or ridgy

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Examples of seam in a Sentence

Noun

the seams of a dress the seams of a boat a rich seam of iron ore

Verb

in fencing circles it is a mark of honor to have one's face seamed with saber cuts

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Roll tortillas around filling and place seam sides down in prepared dish. — The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, Good Housekeeping, "Easy Weeknight Meals," 21 Dec. 2018 Toss the vegetables, then place the fish seam side down on top. — Gina Homolka And Heather K. Jones, Woman's Day, "Pesce Primavera," 19 Sep. 2018 Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling across one tortilla, then roll it up as tightly as possible and place it, seam side down, on the unlined baking sheet. — Joe Yonan, The Seattle Times, "How to make crispy, convenient taquitos (Slurpee not included)," 18 Sep. 2018 Place the dough, seam side down, on the towel and dust the surface with a little more flour. — Alex Van Buren, Health.com, "Making No-Knead Bread Is So Much Easier Than You Think—and You’ll Use It in Meals All Week Long," 23 May 2018 Swennen always looks at the zippers, specifically ones at the seams. — Ana Colón, Glamour, "8 Red Carpet Fashion Hacks Celebrity Stylists Swear By," 18 Jan. 2019 Clothing now only lasts for a few washes before coming apart at the seams. — Alden Wicker, Vox, "The spare button represents all the ways we fail to be good consumers," 14 Dec. 2018 Today Blumhouse has more than 40 full-time employees, and the building is bursting at the seams. — Mickey Rapkin, Town & Country, "The Horror of Jason Blum," 17 Oct. 2018 Yet, the disaggregation that the internet has brought to media really kind of pulls at the seams of the idea of the magazine. — Eric Johnson, Recode, "Vanity Fair helped create ‘the celebrity industrial complex.’ VF Editor Radhika Jones wants to investigate it.," 4 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Roll up the fillets and place them seam side down on a plate. — Gina Homolka And Heather K. Jones, Woman's Day, "Pesce Primavera," 19 Sep. 2018 Wore seamed stockings hooked to a suspender belt, tight pencil skirts and soft, brightly colored cashmere sweaters. — Shirley Manson, New York Times, "Shirley Manson: The First Time I Cut Myself," 3 July 2018 Roll dough into a ball and place seam side down on a lightly ﬂoured work surface. — Bon Appetit, "Ramadan Date Cookies," 21 May 2018 My goal was to achieve this within one year...seamed reasonable to me! — Leada Gore, AL.com, "How to get free McDonald's fries today," 20 Apr. 2018 Wrap log around can, seam side down, gently pulling from center of log to stretch around. — Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, "King Cake," 12 Jan. 2018 Place rollups seam side down in an 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish. — Atlanta Life, ajc, "7 Day Menu Planner," 3 Nov. 2017 Many of the newest iterations are seamed to accentuate the body, providing a womanly shapeliness in place of utilitarian boxiness. — Alev Aktar, WSJ, "Is a $5,930 Puffer Coat Sexier Than a $200 One?," 28 Sep. 2017 The north Siberian peninsula, whose yellowish soil is seamed with gold and copper and a range of precious earths, was populated once by the Gulag of the Stalin years. — WSJ, "Five Best: Catherine Merridale," 4 Aug. 2017

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