Synonym Chooser

How is the word fasten distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of fasten are affix, attach, and fix. While all these words mean "to make something stay firmly in place," fasten implies an action such as tying, buttoning, nailing, locking, or otherwise securing.

fasten the reins to a post

When is it sensible to use affix instead of fasten?

In some situations, the words affix and fasten are roughly equivalent. However, affix implies an imposing of one thing on another by gluing, impressing, or nailing.

affix your address label here

When could attach be used to replace fasten?

Although the words attach and fasten have much in common, attach suggests a connecting or uniting by a bond, link, or tie in order to keep things together.

attach the W-2 form here

When can fix be used instead of fasten?

While the synonyms fix and fasten are close in meaning, fix usually implies a driving in, implanting, or embedding.

fixed the stake in the ground

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 fasten Anna fastened her meaning on Vronsky; Levin fastens his meaning on the land. Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025 This roster is held together like wet cardboard fastened by cellophane tape. Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025 Stay in your vehicle with your seatbelt fastened and wait for the storm to pass. Staff Reports, AZCentral.com, 5 Sep. 2025 Passengers and crew can be caught off guard, and without seatbelts fastened, injuries are more likely. Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fasten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fasten
Verb
  • Norton’s father said the Pippins provide the visual icon to fight the stigma that is attached to the conversation around anxiety, depression, and mental health.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Pair it with these stick-on draft stoppers that attach to the bottom of your doors for even more protection.
    Christopher Murray may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Trump’s backing for his fellow conservative was part of a broader push to secure a political shift across Latin America, with elections pending in a number of nations.
    Daniel Flatley, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Mission accomplished, as Will McDonald IV secured the Jets’ first sack of the game on third-and-10, forcing a punt.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • His legal practice primarily focuses on sports injuries, workers’ comp, and disability benefits, according to his law firm — areas close to home for a former athlete.
    Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 20 Oct. 2025
  • It was announced as part of the festival’s classic film focused Treasures stand, also featuring two classic Arab and three international feature films.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But the creation was so popular that other grandes dames of international society were soon donning their own versions—affixed to semiprecious and precious stones such as aquamarine and morganite.
    Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Kris Jenner is waiting in a Rolls-Royce out front, affixed with the same KngKylie plates and a glove compartment full of the upcoming Kylie Cosmetics lip gloss launch.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This is an adjustable graphics-card brace, and its screw tightens the part that clamps it to the slide.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2025
  • For best results, hold it for a few seconds after clamping, then repeat from the base to the tip of the lashes to lock in the curl—there’s an art to it, after all.
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Difficulty concentrating is a common complaint among people experiencing SAD, Justin Puder, PhD, a psychologist based in Boca Raton, Florida, tells SELF.
    Maggie O'Neill, SELF, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Andrew Morton — whose latest book, Winston and the Windsors, charts the formidable Churchill’s working relationship with the royal family for several decades — says one thing shone through, enabling him to concentrate on the institution rather than the person.
    Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The beloved couple of Ruzek and Burgess — known as Burzek — tied the knot in the season 12 finale.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
  • In the bottom of the seventh inning, with runners on second and third with nobody out, George Springer stepped to the plate with the chance to tie a 3-1 ball game in favor of the Seattle Mariners, a team desperate for its first-ever World Series appearance in franchise history.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • That outlines Andromeda, the princess, who’s hitched to the rear end of the horse.
    Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Getting stuck in some remote native village for 36 days while hitching rides.
    Corky Carroll, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fasten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fasten. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

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