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
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 Web
Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 Feb. 2026
As Toruño leaves the coffee shop, the glue on the nearby posters begins to dry, and pedestrians slow down to read them.
—Yamlek Mojica, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Frost’s staff was glued to the thread for hours, Orne said, collecting document numbers for his visit.
—Katelyn Ferral, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for glue
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Noun
Zeis described her daughter as a devoted mother and the glue of her family.
—Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 Feb. 2026
As Toruño leaves the coffee shop, the glue on the nearby posters begins to dry, and pedestrians slow down to read them.
—Yamlek Mojica, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Carolyn is glued to the television, immediately identifying with the princess in the Mercedes-Benz; John can’t take her obsessing.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Frost’s staff was glued to the thread for hours, Orne said, collecting document numbers for his visit.
—Katelyn Ferral, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for glue
Cite this Entry
“Glue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glue. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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