1
a
: any of various strong adhesive substances
especially
: a hard protein chiefly gelatinous substance that absorbs water to form a viscous solution with strong adhesive properties and that is obtained by cooking down collagenous materials (such as hides or bones)
b
: a solution of glue used for sticking things together
2
: something that binds together
enough social glue … to satisfy the human desire for community—
E. D. Hirsch, Jr.
E. D. Hirsch, Jr.
glued; gluing also glueing
1
: to cause to stick tightly with or as if with glue
gluing the parts together
used that war to glue together a frail story—Gloria Emerson
Gloria Emerson2
: to cause to remain continuously or to be fixed steadily
—usually used with to
the spectators were glued to their seats
all eyes glued to the TV screen
Synonyms
Examples of glue in a Sentence
Noun
The hardware store offers several different glues.
used glue to stick the photo in the album
Verb
I glued the pieces of the cup back together.
Recent Examples on the WebMansour Solaimanian, The Conversation, 10 May 2024
Correspondent Conor Knighton talks with artists who create pristine peonies and pansies, life-like lilacs, and ridiculously large roses, using little more than paper, paint and glue.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for glue 
Noun
The simple answer is that they are made of typical construction materials such as aggregates – soils and rocks – as well as asphalt binder and Portland cement, which act like glue to bond it all together.
—Mansour Solaimanian, The Conversation, 10 May 2024
Correspondent Conor Knighton talks with artists who create pristine peonies and pansies, life-like lilacs, and ridiculously large roses, using little more than paper, paint and glue.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for glue
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glue.' 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 glue
Cite this Entry
“Glue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glue. Accessed 17 May. 2024.
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