as in weights
the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts
reading is the very staple of a person's education
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Recent Examples of staples
Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
The best sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners should be staples in your shower routine.
—Sarah Hoffmann, Allure, 7 Feb. 2026
The brand is known for high-quality, timeless staples, and this top fits right into that lane.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
When mornings are freezing and afternoons turn balmy, having wardrobe staples that are breathable, easy to layer, and cozy is a must.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2026
Some everyday kitchen staples are designed for single use and can break down quickly, while others can harbor bacteria or even leach chemicals into your dishes.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
The show started with Esdeekid’s DJ playing songs from underground staples like Osamason, before transitioning into more familiar fare from acts like Rae Sremmurd, who, surprisingly, the audience of Gen Z-ers seemed well-versed with.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
The best performing sector this week was consumer staples — up 13% in 2026 as a group and having their best year in decades, according to Bank of America.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2026
And mango, papaya, avocado, poke, and açaí bowls become the staples of my diet.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
The casual shoes brought a cool feel to my work staples.
—Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
The best sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners should be staples in your shower routine.
—Sarah Hoffmann, Allure, 7 Feb. 2026
The brand is known for high-quality, timeless staples, and this top fits right into that lane.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
When mornings are freezing and afternoons turn balmy, having wardrobe staples that are breathable, easy to layer, and cozy is a must.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2026
Some everyday kitchen staples are designed for single use and can break down quickly, while others can harbor bacteria or even leach chemicals into your dishes.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
The show started with Esdeekid’s DJ playing songs from underground staples like Osamason, before transitioning into more familiar fare from acts like Rae Sremmurd, who, surprisingly, the audience of Gen Z-ers seemed well-versed with.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
The best performing sector this week was consumer staples — up 13% in 2026 as a group and having their best year in decades, according to Bank of America.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2026
And mango, papaya, avocado, poke, and açaí bowls become the staples of my diet.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staples
Noun
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In a video posted on Instagram on Thursday, Vonn squats with weights, lunges from side to side and does fast kicks against a ball.—
Michal Ruprecht,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The model’s core weights remain untouched, but the system can still adapt its behavior based on the task at hand.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The holder clips right to your pack or waders and keeps everything in a neat, easy-to-dispense stack.—
Francesca Krempa,
Outside,
23 Dec. 2025
-
The carry handles each have a magnetic piece that then clips together to form a single bar to grasp.—
Adam Campbell-Schmitt,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Extending that coverage to full humanoid bodies would require not only significant advances in manufacturing, but improvements in power efficiency and data processing, as well.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Remains found amid search in Mexico MEXICO CITY -- Mexican authorities on Friday announced the discovery of bodies and remains in the northwestern state of Sinaloa in an area of an ongoing search for 10 missing workers from a Canadian gold and silver mine.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This is an adjustable graphics-card brace, and its screw tightens the part that clamps it to the slide.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Here, Lloyd clamps a muzzle — part fetish club, part Bane — over Lucky’s mouth while Pozzo pushes him in a wheelchair (the actor, Michael Patrick Thornton, uses a chair).—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When stars with around the same mass as the sun run out of hydrogen, the fuel necessary for nuclear fusion in their cores, their cores collapse and their outer layers swell out and are eventually lost.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Or congested living in its urban cores?—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Ratcliffe’s comments align with the arguments made by Britain’s right-wing populist Reform UK party, which ties its anti-immigrant message to protecting the country.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
12 Feb. 2026
-
House Bill 1002 also ties utility profits to performance metrics, including affordability and service restoration, and utilities will use a three-year rate plan.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His decision to leave the agency — after just a year and a half on the job — added to a staggering list of police chiefs who served short stints at the Oakland Police Department, which has operated under federal court oversight for more than 20 years.—
Kyle Martin,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Each island was ruled by local chiefs and its own king.—
Jasmin 'Iolani Hakes,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Kinto’s travel tumbler ($34) is a handsome receptacle available in a number of colors, with a lid that screws on tight and enough insulation to keep a cup of coffee warm all day long.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
6 Dec. 2025
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Or are those simply screws Vrabel’s staff will tighten with more time and practice?—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Staples.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staples. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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