sew

verb

ˈsō 

sewed; sewn ˈsōn  or sewed; sewing

transitive verb

1

: to unite or fasten by stitches

2

: to close or enclose by sewing

sew the money in a bag

intransitive verb

: to practice or engage in sewing

sewability

ˌsō-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

sewable

ˈsō-ə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms of sew

• stitch
• suture

Examples of sew in a Sentence

She sews her own dresses by hand.

He sewed a patch onto his sleeve.

I sewed the button back on the shirt.

The surgeon sewed the wound shut.

She designs her own dresses and sews in her free time.

Recent Examples on the Web

Additional period-accurate details include a center back leather patch, a single back pocket, 1873 patent rivets, sew-on buttons, a watch pocket sewn on top of the waistband, denim pocket bags, and leather washers behind the rivets. —Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 22 May 2026

The Skins are skin suits, not dissimilar to what Buffalo Bill was sewing in The Silence of the Lambs, and the people wearing them work for the Forge Democracy Think Tank with which Christie is affiliated. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 May 2026

Thoughtful details include four handles, making the bags a breeze to move, as well as partitions sewn to the bottom to avoid root entanglement. —Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 May 2026

Then, tie or sew the opening shut to complete this easy DIY. —Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 18 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English sīwian; akin to Old High German siuwen to sew, Latin suere

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing sew

• sew up

Rhymes for sew

• beau
• beaut
• beaux
• blow
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

sew

verb

ˈsō 

sewed; sewn ˈsōn  or sewed; sewing

1

: to join or fasten by stitches

sew on a button

2

: to work with needle and thread