1
2
cards plural in form but singular or plural in construction
a
: a game played with cards
b
: card playing
3
a
: something (such as an advantage) compared to a valuable playing card in one's hand
holding all the cards in negotiations
b
: an issue especially with emotional appeal that is brought into play to achieve a desired end (such as winning a political campaign)
played the race card
4
a
: greeting card
a birthday card
b
: a flat stiff usually small and rectangular piece of material (such as paper, cardboard, or plastic) usually bearing information: such as
(1)
: postcard
(2)
(3)
(4)
: one bearing a picture (as of a baseball player) on one side and usually statistical data on the other
(5)
: one on which computer information is stored (as in the form of punched holes or magnetic encoding)
(6)
: one bearing electronic circuit components for insertion into a larger electronic device (such as a computer)
(7)
c
: program
especially
: a sports program
three fights on the card
d(1)
: a wine list
(2)
: menu
5
informal + old-fashioned
: a usually clownishly amusing person : wag
He's such a card!
6
carded; carding; cards
1
: to ask for identification (as in a bar)
We all got carded.
2
: score
a golfer carding a 75
3
: to place or fasten on or by means of a card
4
: to provide with a card
5
: to list or record on a card
carded; carding; cards
: to cleanse, disentangle, and collect together (fibers) by the use of cards preparatory to spinning
carder
noun
1
: an instrument or machine for carding fibers that consists usually of bent wire teeth set closely in rows in a thick piece of leather fastened to a back
2
: an implement for raising a nap on cloth
Synonyms
Examples of card in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jack Bantock, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Police identified the woman using her rewards card information and court records, the TV station said.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024
There was no mention of whether the attendant making the sale did any kind of double-take after carding her and getting a gander of the most famous driver’s license in the history of pop culture.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 25 Feb. 2024
Five players were tied at 14 under with seven holes to play, but Matsuyama finished with a flourish, carding three birdies on his last four holes to get to 9 under on the day and -17 for the week.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2024
Even without the stormy winds that buffeted Augusta on Saturday, its rolling course still proved notoriously challenging as, of the leaders, only Collin Morikawa carded a score under 70 – his 69 taking him to six under for the tournament and second place, a shot behind Scheffler.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Scheffler carded a double-bogey and fell down the leaderboard.
—Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2024
Now cards this season featuring student-athletes, including 61 cards featuring basketball players.
—Doug Feinberg, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024
The Northern Irishman had cut an exasperated figure following a double-bogey at the par-four 14th, but roared home with three consecutive birdies to card 69 – a score exactly in-between his brilliant opening 65 and error-strewn second round 73.
—Jack Bantock, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2024
Though both seasons of Big Little Lies were praised by fans and critics alike, one of the series' stars said that a third season was not in the cards after the death of season one director Jean-Marc Vallée, who died of a heart attack at age 58 in December 2021.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 28 Apr. 2024
The dean then went around the circle asking students for the cards; some showed them, but many did not.
—Neelam Bohra, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2024
Check out the full fight card below, and stream UFC Fight Night: Nicolau vs. Perez here.
—Rudie Obias, Variety, 27 Apr. 2024
His mother was ill, so one of her sisters-in-law filled out the registration card and submitted it to the city to produce a birth certificate, Didier Optowsky said.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024
The cards are available to Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business card members through June 5 — or while supplies last.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024
The wild card for planning is the Disney succession race, where D’Amaro has seen his name floated as one of the leading contenders to take over from Bob Iger when the CEO’s contract expires at the end of 2026.
—Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024
Workers sign cards for representation in a bargaining committee that will negotiate with their employers on issues such as wages, benefits and workplace safety.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 15 Apr. 2024
Verb
Scheffler’s ascent coincided with his playing partner plummeting in a tailspin, as Morikawa took two attempts to escape a bunker at the ninth before splashing a shot into the water two holes later to card two double bogeys in a matter of minutes.
—Jack Bantock, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Police identified the woman using her rewards card information and court records, the TV station said.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024
There was no mention of whether the attendant making the sale did any kind of double-take after carding her and getting a gander of the most famous driver’s license in the history of pop culture.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 25 Feb. 2024
Five players were tied at 14 under with seven holes to play, but Matsuyama finished with a flourish, carding three birdies on his last four holes to get to 9 under on the day and -17 for the week.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2024
Even without the stormy winds that buffeted Augusta on Saturday, its rolling course still proved notoriously challenging as, of the leaders, only Collin Morikawa carded a score under 70 – his 69 taking him to six under for the tournament and second place, a shot behind Scheffler.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Scheffler carded a double-bogey and fell down the leaderboard.
—Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2024
Now cards this season featuring student-athletes, including 61 cards featuring basketball players.
—Doug Feinberg, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024
The Northern Irishman had cut an exasperated figure following a double-bogey at the par-four 14th, but roared home with three consecutive birdies to card 69 – a score exactly in-between his brilliant opening 65 and error-strewn second round 73.
—Jack Bantock, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
Noun
Damaging winds, huge hail, and long-track tornadoes are all in the cards, especially in Kansas, Oklahoma and northeast Texas.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2024
Though both seasons of Big Little Lies were praised by fans and critics alike, one of the series' stars said that a third season was not in the cards after the death of season one director Jean-Marc Vallée, who died of a heart attack at age 58 in December 2021.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 28 Apr. 2024
The dean then went around the circle asking students for the cards; some showed them, but many did not.
—Neelam Bohra, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2024
Check out the full fight card below, and stream UFC Fight Night: Nicolau vs. Perez here.
—Rudie Obias, Variety, 27 Apr. 2024
His mother was ill, so one of her sisters-in-law filled out the registration card and submitted it to the city to produce a birth certificate, Didier Optowsky said.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024
The cards are available to Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business card members through June 5 — or while supplies last.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024
The wild card for planning is the Disney succession race, where D’Amaro has seen his name floated as one of the leading contenders to take over from Bob Iger when the CEO’s contract expires at the end of 2026.
—Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024
Workers sign cards for representation in a bargaining committee that will negotiate with their employers on issues such as wages, benefits and workplace safety.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 15 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'card.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near card
Cite this Entry
“Card.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/card. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
card
1 of 4 verb
: to clean and untangle fibers by combing with a card before spinning
carder
noun
card
2 of 4 noun
: an instrument usually having bent wire teeth for combing fibers (as wool or cotton)
card
3 of 4 noun1
2
plural
a
: a game played with cards
b
: card playing
3
: an amusing person : wag
4
: a flat stiff usually small and rectangular piece of paper, thin cardboard, or plastic: as
a
: postcard
b
: such a card on which computer information is stored
c
d
5
: a sports program
6
: a removable circuit board (as in a personal computer)
card
4 of 4 verb1
: to provide with a card
2
: to ask for identification
Etymology
Noun
Middle English carde "instrument for combing fibers," from Latin cardus, carduus "instrument for combing fibers, thistle," from earlier Latin carduus "thistle"
Noun
Middle English carde "playing card," from early French carte (same meaning), probably from early Italian carta, literally, "leaf of paper," from Latin charta "piece of papyrus" — related to carton, cartoon, chart
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