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ribbons 1 of 2

noun

plural of ribbon
as in strips
a long narrow piece of material tied a silk ribbon in her hair

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ribbons

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of ribbon
as in tears
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it over the years the historic flag had become badly ribboned by the wind

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 ribbons
Noun
Several fraternities and sororities have mourned the loss of the students and have placed black ribbons outside their on-campus homes, WMC reported. — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026 Embroidery was included with Lurex ribbons and crystals from the Roma 2025 collection. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026 Several minutes in garlicky olive oil then transform them into silky ribbons that tangle easily with the pasta. — Carla Lalli Music, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026 Neighbors are putting pink ribbons on trees to alert the neighborhood about the city's 2028 Pavement Management Project. — Frankie McLister, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026 The killings shook Charlotte, with yellow ribbons and half-staff flags decorating the city in the weeks after the murders. — Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026 Jam Crumb Cake Spreadable fruit jam ribbons through this buttery crumb cake, sinking here and there for a marbled look. — Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 16 Sep. 2026 Mario Perez cheered from the curb as dancers in bright dresses twirled down the street Saturday afternoon, ribbons and ruffles flashing in the sun. — Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026 Whether roasted until soft and caramelized, pureed or peeled in fresh veggie ribbons, September’s abundant harvest offers the ultimate bridge between late-summer sun and early-autumn comfort. — Angela Hansberger, AJC.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribbons
  1. strips
  2. tears
  3. rips
  4. shreds
Noun
  • Quilling involves rolling, shaping and gluing thin strips of paper to create flowers, monograms and other designs.
    — Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The crews who take to the air in Los Angeles must not only navigate each other, but air traffic to three regional airports and smaller, local air strips across the Southland when doing their job.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of strips
Verb
  • Following her father’s unexpected death, Carrie enters the public high school ecosystem and is forced to navigate a viral bullying scandal that tears through her community.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
  • In a sense, the proof shows that a world in which love never returns is a world whose geometry tears itself apart—assuming, of course, the proof holds up.
    — Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of tears
Verb
  • During a process called Hills capture, as a stellar binary orbits a supermassive black hole and the gravitational influence of the black hole rips the binary apart, ejecting one star while capturing the other.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • But the coyote has other plans and rips it up, forcing the matter to trial.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of rips
Verb
  • Made out of stainless steel, the grater effortlessly zests citrus, shreds hard cheeses, and grates fresh spices.
    — Mariette Williams, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Think of it instead as a machine that takes dollars in and either prints more dollars or shreds them.
    — Bar Maimon, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of shreds

Browse Nearby Words

ribboning
ribbons
ribs
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Cite this Entry

“Ribbons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbons. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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