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

That might mean sewing a tear, refinishing a table, or turning an old jar into storage. —Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2026

Once the hair colors were correct, a team of braiders got to work crafting each piece and sewing it to the gown. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 6 Feb. 2026

Censori stepped out of the limo, turned away from the cameras, and dropped her black Galliano fur to the floor to reveal herself in a nearly invisible mesh dress, sewn onto Censori by future Maison Margiela couturier Simon Carle. —Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026

The visit concluded with Catherine sewing a back pocket onto a pair of the brand’s men’s Hack jeans as a gift for the Prince of Wales. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Feb. 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
• beaux
• blow
• boe
• 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