sew

verb \ ˈsō \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of sew

sewed; sewn play \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

play \ˌsō-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

—

sewable

play \ˈsō-ə-bəl\ adjective

See sew defined for English-language learners

See sew defined for kids

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 of sew from the Web

The Citizens had the chance to sew things up with victory of their bitter rivals, but capitulated in the second half to allow the visitors to take all three points.

— SI.com, "Pep Guardiola Reveals What He Said to Paul Pogba as the Pair Chatted Following Manchester Derby," 8 Apr. 2018
Melanie Bilenker sews ordinary scenes of Victorian domestic life using her own hair — a contemporary take on Victorian memorial hair jewelry.

— edith newhall, Philly.com, "Paul Cava's 'inappropriate' art finds a home after Episcopal Cathedral controversy," 5 Apr. 2018
In a speech before the state Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in New Hampshire in the late 1990s, McCain recalled the tale of Mike Christian, a fellow POW who used red and white cloth to sew an American flag inside his prison uniform.

— azcentral, "John McCain's 2000 presidential run saw challenges, 'ugly' politics," 2 Apr. 2018
Green was anesthetized and her cervix was sewn shut once more.

— eva holland, WIRED, "Saving Baby Boy Green," 27 Mar. 2018
Dancers have said the police activity has sewn distrust between dancers and law enforcement.

— kevin litten, NOLA.com, "French Quarter strip club cap rejected by City Council," 22 Mar. 2018
Inmates in Eagle River used to sew the yellow scrubs prisoners wear.

— michelle theriault boots, Anchorage Daily News, "New bill would put inmates back to work in Alaska prisons," 15 Mar. 2018
There was a suggestion of recycling in the ponchos formed from blankets and sweaters sewn together with seams inside out — an idea reinforced by the piles of newspapers and used clothes that became the show room seating.

— colleen barry, The Seattle Times, "Dolce & Gabbana send drones down runway," 25 Feb. 2018
Doctors concluded that contaminated needles used to sew the hair in were to blame for the swelling.

— simedar jackson, Marie Claire, "22 Beauty Horror Stories That Will Make You Rethink Everything," 15 May 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of sew

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

sew Synonyms

Other Handicraft Terms

biscuit, darn, tambour, wrought

SEW Defined for English Language Learners

sew

verb

Definition of sew for English Language Learners

: to make or repair something (such as a piece of clothing) by using a needle and thread

SEW Defined for Kids

sew

verb \ ˈsō \

Definition of sew for Students

sewed; sewn \ˈsōn\ or sewed; sewing

1 : to join or fasten by stitches

2 : to work with needle and thread

Learn More about sew

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sew Spanish Central: Translation of sew Nglish: Translation of sew for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of sew for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up sew? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

sew

Definition of sew

sewability

sewable

Examples of sew in a Sentence

Recent Examples of sew from the Web

Origin and Etymology of sew

sew Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Other Handicraft Terms

Phrases Related to SEW

Related Phrases

SEW Defined for English Language Learners

sew

Definition of sew for English Language Learners

SEW Defined for Kids

sew

Definition of sew for Students

Learn More about sew

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Going Greek: 7 Words from the Greek Alphabet

'Preventive' or 'Preventative'?

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Trending: Trump: Den of Thieves and 'Lowlifes'

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes