1
a
: a filament, a group of filaments twisted together, or a filamentous length formed by spinning and twisting short textile fibers into a continuous strand
b
: a piece of thread
2
a
: any of various natural filaments
the threads of a spiderweb
b
: a slender stream (as of water)
c
: a projecting helical rib (as in a fitting or on a pipe) by which parts can be screwed together : screw thread
3
: something continuous or drawn out: such as
a
: a line of reasoning or train of thought that connects the parts in a sequence (as of ideas or events)
lost the thread of the story
b
: a continuing element
a thread of melancholy marked all his writing
c
: a series of electronic messages (as on a message board or social media website) following a single topic or in response to a single message
4
: a tenuous or feeble support
hung on by a thread
5
threaded; threading; threads
1
a
: to pass a thread through the eye of (a needle)
b
: to arrange a thread, yarn, or lead-in piece in working position for use in (a machine)
2
a(1)
: to pass something through in the manner of a thread
thread a pipe with wire
(2)
: to pass (something, such as a tape, line, or film) into or through something
threaded a fresh roll of film into the camera
b
: to make one's way through or between
threading narrow alleys
also
: to make one's way usually cautiously through a hazardous situation
3
: to put together on or as if on a thread : string
thread beads
4
: to interweave with or as if with threads : intersperse
dark hair threaded with silver
5
: to form a screw thread on or in
threader
noun
Synonyms
Examples of thread in a Sentence
Noun
A thread was hanging from the hem of her coat.
the unwary bug was snared in the sticky threads of the spider's web
Verb
She threaded her shoelace through the holes.
thread film through a camera
They had to thread their way through the crowd.
Waiters threaded through the crowd.
a river that threads through narrow valleys
Recent Examples on the Web
Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
By the time this conclusion arrives, the film’s threads don’t feel fully processed.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
Goitein’s thread is worth reading, as is this piece for Bloomberg Law by Phil Kiko, a former House Judiciary Committee general counsel who was one of the architects of Section 702.
—David Meyer, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
Years ago, people interested in fashion started their digital platforms and online threads to showcase their outfits and teach others about their fashion tips.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 10 Apr. 2024
Airbnb opened multiple threads with you without closing them, which added to the complexity of this case and maybe delayed your resolution.
—Christopher Elliott, King Features Syndicate, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
Civil didn’t need to be told about the love thread winding through the book.
—Anne Kniggendorf, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2024
Thousands of tiny neurons run axons—the brain’s transmission cables for electrical impulses—perpendicularly through the stack of dendrites, like threads in a loom.
—R Douglas Fields, WIRED, 31 Mar. 2024
So what is the thread that unites Oppenheim’s revealing documentaries?
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 30 Mar. 2024
Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024
So the reading glasses weren't for reading as much as for other daily tasks, like threading a needle, quickly figuring out change at a cash register or weeding and sorting grain on a family farm.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 3 Apr. 2024
Some lawmakers have argued laws like this are infringing on freedom of expression — so legislators sometimes have to thread the needle between protecting free speech and preventing misleading content from interfering with elections.
—Kaleigh Rogers, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2024
And with Jewish Americans and Black Americans providing two key constituencies for Biden's reelection bid, this could be a tough needle to thread.
—Devan Schwartz, NPR, 28 Mar. 2024
Novelist, essayist, and scholar Marilynne Robinson has managed to thread the theme of goodness into her entire body of work.
—Joan Taylor, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Mar. 2024
Videos of its rescues posted online became a sensation during the pandemic, suggesting that the group has threaded a tricky needle: calling attention to the growing crisis of marine trash but with a feel-good ending for the affected animals.
—Cara Buckley, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024
The pump delivered a continuous stream of drugs through a catheter threaded directly into a large vein in her body to help keep her blood vessels open.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024
Put me on the 761 Sylmar bypassing the 405, taking Sepulveda instead, threading underneath the freeway and coming up into the craggy foothills of Bel-Air, the bushy chaparral harking back to the ecology of the land before the city.
—Mark Gozonsky, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Noun
Gold threads reference the Persian folklore of magic carpets, suggesting journeys across space and time.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
By the time this conclusion arrives, the film’s threads don’t feel fully processed.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
Goitein’s thread is worth reading, as is this piece for Bloomberg Law by Phil Kiko, a former House Judiciary Committee general counsel who was one of the architects of Section 702.
—David Meyer, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
Years ago, people interested in fashion started their digital platforms and online threads to showcase their outfits and teach others about their fashion tips.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 10 Apr. 2024
Airbnb opened multiple threads with you without closing them, which added to the complexity of this case and maybe delayed your resolution.
—Christopher Elliott, King Features Syndicate, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
Civil didn’t need to be told about the love thread winding through the book.
—Anne Kniggendorf, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2024
Thousands of tiny neurons run axons—the brain’s transmission cables for electrical impulses—perpendicularly through the stack of dendrites, like threads in a loom.
—R Douglas Fields, WIRED, 31 Mar. 2024
So what is the thread that unites Oppenheim’s revealing documentaries?
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 30 Mar. 2024
Verb
The pass threaded the needle through the Panther defense and into the box.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024
So the reading glasses weren't for reading as much as for other daily tasks, like threading a needle, quickly figuring out change at a cash register or weeding and sorting grain on a family farm.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 3 Apr. 2024
Some lawmakers have argued laws like this are infringing on freedom of expression — so legislators sometimes have to thread the needle between protecting free speech and preventing misleading content from interfering with elections.
—Kaleigh Rogers, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2024
And with Jewish Americans and Black Americans providing two key constituencies for Biden's reelection bid, this could be a tough needle to thread.
—Devan Schwartz, NPR, 28 Mar. 2024
Novelist, essayist, and scholar Marilynne Robinson has managed to thread the theme of goodness into her entire body of work.
—Joan Taylor, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Mar. 2024
Videos of its rescues posted online became a sensation during the pandemic, suggesting that the group has threaded a tricky needle: calling attention to the growing crisis of marine trash but with a feel-good ending for the affected animals.
—Cara Buckley, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024
The pump delivered a continuous stream of drugs through a catheter threaded directly into a large vein in her body to help keep her blood vessels open.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024
Put me on the 761 Sylmar bypassing the 405, taking Sepulveda instead, threading underneath the freeway and coming up into the craggy foothills of Bel-Air, the bushy chaparral harking back to the ecology of the land before the city.
—Mark Gozonsky, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thread.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to thread
Dictionary Entries Near thread
Cite this Entry
“Thread.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thread. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thread
1 of 2 noun1
: a thin fine cord formed by spinning and twisting short fibers into a continuous strand
2
: something that resembles a thread
threads of a spiderweb
3
: the ridge or groove that winds around a screw
4
: a train of thought that connects the parts in a sequence (as of ideas or events)
lost the thread of the story
thread
2 of 2 verb1
: to put a thread in working position in
thread a needle
2
: to pass through in the manner of a thread
thread film through a camera
3
: to make a way through or between
a river threading narrow valleys
also
: to make (one's way) carefully
had to thread their way between the mountains
4
: to put together on a thread : string
thread beads
5
: to weave together with or as if with threads : intersperse
dark hair threaded with gray
threader
noun
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