1
: an instrument having at least one right angle and two straight edges used especially to lay out or test right angles
2
: a rectangle with all four sides equal
3
: any of the quadrilateral spaces marked out on a board for playing games
4
: the product of a number multiplied by itself
5
a
: an open place or area formed at the meeting of two or more streets
b
6
: a solid object or piece approximating a cube or having a square as its largest face
7
: an unopened cotton flower with its enclosing bracts
8
somewhat old-fashioned
: a person who is conventional or conservative in taste or way of life
9
: a substantial and satisfying meal
ate three squares a day
see also:
squared; squaring
1
a
: to make square or rectangular
square a building stone
b
: to test for deviation from a right angle, straight line, or plane surface
2
: to bring approximately to a right angle
squared his shoulders
3
a
: to multiply (a number) by itself : raise to the second power
b
: to find a square equal in area to
square a circle
4
: to regulate or adjust by or to some standard or principle
squared her beliefs to her religion
5
6
: to mark off into squares
1
: to agree precisely : correspond
Your actions should square with your words.
2
: to settle matters
especially
: to pay the bill
—usually used with up
After dinner, they squared up and went home.
squarer
noun
Examples of square in a Sentence
Noun
The fabric is decorated with circles and squares.
Cut the brownies into squares.
The board has red and black squares.
Verb
The machine squares the wood into flat boards.
If you square 3, you get 9.
Recent Examples on the Web
Joshua McElwee, USA Today, 6 June 2026
The one-square block was renamed in 1997 to celebrate Chavez’s life.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2026
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
How does King square a lifetime spent fighting for women’s sports with a position that allows biological males to compete against females?
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for square
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Later on June 6, the pope will meet young people in the square outside the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home to the Real Madrid soccer club, and visit a Catholic charity for homeless people.
—Joshua McElwee, USA Today, 6 June 2026
The one-square block was renamed in 1997 to celebrate Chavez’s life.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2026
Verb
On June 10, for instance, Mercury will clash with Saturn (after squaring Neptune on June 3), which can make conversations feel heavier than usual.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
How does King square a lifetime spent fighting for women’s sports with a position that allows biological males to compete against females?
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for square
Cite this Entry
“Square.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/square. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
square
1 of 4 noun
ˈskwa(ə)r 
ˈskwe(ə)r
1
: an instrument having at least one right angle and two straight edges used to draw or test right angles
2
: a rectangle with all four sides equal
3
: any of the four-sided spaces marked out on a board for playing games
4
: the product of a number multiplied by itself
4 is the square of 2
5
a
: an open place or area formed at the meeting of two or more streets
square
2 of 4 adjective
squarer; squarest
1
a
: having four equal sides and four right angles
a square piece of paper
b
: forming a right angle
a square corner
c
: having a square base
a square pyramid
2
a
: being approximately a cube
a square cabinet
b
: of a shape suggesting strength and toughness
a square jaw
square shoulders
c
: having the shape of a square as its cross section
a square tower
3
a
: being a unit of area that has the shape of a square and sides of a specified unit length
a square foot
b
: being of a specified length in each of two equal dimensions
10 feet square
4
a
: exactly adjusted : well made
b
: just entry 1 sense 2a, fair
a square deal
c
: leaving no balance : settled
d
: being tied in score
the golfers were all square after five holes
e
: large enough to satisfy
three square meals a day
5
: not knowing or following the latest styles
squareness
noun
square
3 of 4 verb
squared; squaring
1
: to form with right angles, straight edges, and flat surfaces : make square or rectangular
square a timber
2
: to bring to a right angle
squared his shoulders
3
a
: to multiply (a number) by itself : to raise (a number) to the second power
b
: to find a square equal in area to
square a circle
4
: to agree or make agree
his story does not square with the facts
5
: balance entry 2 sense 1, settle
square an account
6
: to mark off into squares
7
: bribe entry 2, fix
8
: to take a fighting stance
the two squared off
square
4 of 4 adverb
: in a direct, firm, or honest manner
looked her square in the eye
Medical Definition
square
adjective
: being or converted to a unit of area equal in measure to a square each side of which measures one unit of a specified unit of length
a square foot
Legal Definition
square
adjective
: fitting the factual or legal situation at bar
we have been shown no square holding of a Florida court to that effect—Milhet Caterers, Inc. v. North Western Meat, Inc., 185 So. 2d 196 (1966)
Milhet Caterers, Inc. v. North Western Meat, Inc., 185 So. 2d 196 (1966)
squarely
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
