as in belts
a narrow and usually flat piece of a material that is used for fastening, holding together, or wrapping something
She had the nervous habit of fiddling with the strap of her watch.
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Recent Examples of straps
Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
The heels featured two crisscross straps across the front and a thick ankle strap that held the sandals in place.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 30 Jan. 2026
Oversized fits—from bomber jackets and cow-print fleece coordinates to wide-leg jeans—were balanced with boots with inflated toes and straps.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 29 Jan. 2026
The shoes feature chic Velcro straps reminiscent of luxury brands like Isabel Marant.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 26 Jan. 2026
Pay special attention to where the straps attach to the bars, says Miller.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2026
The tag titles have been successfully elevated, but this match needs to be about more than just the straps.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Extra-luxe finishes, such as mother-of-pearl facing and leather straps, display high craftsmanship and impeccable attention to detail.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Glamour, 22 Jan. 2026
They are made of stainless steel and come with a steel cable (or leather straps, your choice), to withstand the thrash of baggage handling.
—Danielle Calma, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2026
Noun
Just before she was spotted at the awards show, the Kylie Cosmetics founder (who didn't walk the carpet) showed off her ensemble on Instagram, rocking a custom sequin Ashi Studio curve-hugging gown with a low sweetheart neckline accented with straps that lay across her shoulders and chest.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
The heels featured two crisscross straps across the front and a thick ankle strap that held the sandals in place.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 30 Jan. 2026
Oversized fits—from bomber jackets and cow-print fleece coordinates to wide-leg jeans—were balanced with boots with inflated toes and straps.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 29 Jan. 2026
The shoes feature chic Velcro straps reminiscent of luxury brands like Isabel Marant.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 26 Jan. 2026
Pay special attention to where the straps attach to the bars, says Miller.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2026
The tag titles have been successfully elevated, but this match needs to be about more than just the straps.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Extra-luxe finishes, such as mother-of-pearl facing and leather straps, display high craftsmanship and impeccable attention to detail.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Glamour, 22 Jan. 2026
They are made of stainless steel and come with a steel cable (or leather straps, your choice), to withstand the thrash of baggage handling.
—Danielle Calma, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straps
Noun
-
Chunky belts are so in for this year.—
Samantha Brash,
InStyle,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Fine, minimalist belts like this Cézembre beltcan be worn alone for a whisper of detail or doubled (even tripled) for stronger visual impact.—
Pooja Shah,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Tabulator tapes for every voting machine used.—
Shaddi Abusaid,
AJC.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
But dozens of Hi8 tapes wound up being stored in boxes in her home for decades.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Instead of individual detachable sleeves held onto the vest with zippers or buttons, the Rippy Modular Windbreaker’s sleeves are combined into one piece that cinches in the front with a bungee cord.—
Will Porter,
Outside,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Unlike typical wide-leg jeans, this style flares out at the knee and subtly cinches back toward the ankle.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
House Bill 1002 also ties utility profits to performance metrics, including affordability and service restoration.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Stapleton has won three times in the past, which currently ties him with Kacey Musgraves, Josh Kear and Lori McKenna.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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What threads them is an insistence, maybe even a stubbornness, that shopping still belongs in the physical world.—
Paul Jebara,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Once her nose is in place, Elvira gets an eyelash transplant whereby the same doctor threads fake lashes through her lower eyelid.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
23 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Straps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straps. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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