bonding 1 of 2

noun

ˈbän-diŋ How to pronounce bonding (audio)
Definition of bondingnext
as in adhesion
a physical sticking to as if by glue this epoxy has good bonding for glass and ceramics

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bonding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of bond
as in communing
to form a close personal relationship a man attempting to bond with his new and mistrustful stepson

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bonding
Noun
The precocious 25-year-old became a workout pal with James post-Covid 19 pandemic, the two bonding on their insatiable desire to do the work. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026 Inspired by species known for resilience, mobility, social bonding and long lifespans, the festival highlighted how older adults can adopt similar behaviors to support healthy aging. — Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
Maybe the lasting message of Furious, until its second season arrives, is that there are no answers — or at least, none that can be said louder than a whisper shared between new friends bonding during a jailhouse meeting. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026 By choosing a highly machinable material and bonding it, Flit achieves a frame that as light and structurally sound as titanium, but at a fraction of the production complexity – and cost. — New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bonding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bonding
  1. adhesion
  2. communing
  3. cling
  4. relating
  5. adherence
Noun
  • The choice of materials, their adhesion and the design of the part all matter.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Hydrodissection, by contrast, actually changes the physical structures surrounding the median nerve by releasing adhesions, scar-like tissue that causes surfaces inside the body to get stuck together.
    — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of adhesion
Verb
  • But that’s preferable to the movie’s swerve into saccharine grief therapy, as Jay starts communing with Mitt once the dead dad and the whale become a single soul.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • For well-heeled, globe-trotting diners, Noma offered an escape from modernity and the sensation of communing with something more elemental and earthbound.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of communing
Noun
  • Deep in the humid greenery of a Sumatran rainforest, serenaded by birdsong and the jungle’s endless thrum, a baby orangutan clings to its mother.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Still, Crow—the ever-optimist, as her body of work proves—clings on to the glimmers of hope from leaders of the world who do show us the best parts of humanity.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of cling
Verb
  • Conflict with Indigenous peoples on the Maine frontier had sent traumatized refugees into the region, relating horror stories of attacks on their homes.
    — Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Vollmann was also pessimistic, relating that feeling comes from more than America’s current political issues, but also from the world’s environmental problems.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of relating
Noun
  • The humidity-resistant, child-resistant container can be composted or recycled, reducing plastic use by up to 71%; pharmacies can also brand the tube or print adherence instructions directly on it.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Morning sessions align with the body’s natural cortisol peak, and people who exercise early tend to finish before the day’s demands get in the way, which tends to help adherence.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of adherence

Browse Nearby Words

bonded
bonding
bondman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bonding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bonding. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on bonding

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bonding

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of fervid

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All