girdle 1 of 2

noun

ˈgər-dᵊl How to pronounce girdle (audio)
Definition of girdlenext
as in belt
a strip of flexible material (as leather) worn around the waist drew a handkerchief from the girdle around her waist and offered it to the knight as a token of affection

Synonyms & Similar Words

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girdle

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to wrap
to encircle or bind with or as if with a belt trees girdled the campus, essentially hiding it from view wire girdling the bundle of firewood

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to circle
to travel completely around an asteroid belt that girdles the inner planets of the solar system

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to surround
to form a circle around the rings that famously girdle the planet Saturn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of girdle
Noun
One of the best examples of this is the ctenophore Cestum, or the Venus girdle. — Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025 One fatality occurred during a clinical trial for limb girdle muscular dystrophy treatment. — Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
Verb
Wisteria can wind around a tree’s trunk and girdle it in time. — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026 Also, the rootball should be inspected for circling or girdling roots. — Larry Figart, Florida Times-Union, 14 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for girdle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for girdle
  1. belt
  2. wrap
  3. circle
  4. surround
  5. sash
  6. orbit
  7. ring
  8. ribbon
Noun
  • Throw it on over a swimsuit before hitting the beach, or accessorize it with a belt and some sunnies for a laid-back, yet polished, ensemble.
    — Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Bonnell also uses a belt drive as standard equipment for quieter, lower-maintenance operation, with an optional 520 chain conversion available for riders who prefer a more traditional setup.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of belt
Verb
  • The train photos, mounted on aluminum, were wrapped around the walls and corners of the staircase.
    — Caitlín Doherty, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Everyone’s favorite—on the left, on the right, young, old—is pigs in a blanket, the little cocktail hot dogs wrapped in pastry.
    — Kwame Onwuachi, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of wrap
Verb
  • Military helicopter circled overhead, searching for survivors, assessing the disaster and mapping out possible rescue and evacuation routes.
    — Shristi Kafle, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Attendees may make a habit of circling conflicts and calculating whether ten minutes of one set is worth the hike before another begins.
    — Svetlana Khachiyan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of circle
Verb
  • While the Anaheim Ducks, located a stone’s throw from Angel Stadium, are in the midst of a massive refurbishment project, the area surrounding the baseball stadium is largely dormant.
    — Sam Blum, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • In the middle of the space was a single Supersonic dryer suspended on a boom arm and surrounded by microphones.
    — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of surround
Noun
  • So, who wowed the judges, floored the crowd and clinched the final, coveted sash?
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Gomez wore a maroon minidress with a satin sash-like detail around the neck.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of sash
Verb
  • Among the most interesting structures found there are stellar streams — long, narrow trails of stars that orbit a galaxy.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The observatory will orbit at the same location as NASA's James Webb Space Telescope while facing away from Earth on the side opposite the sun.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of orbit
Verb
  • Officers were already at the park attempting to break up the crowd when shots rang out and struck multiple people.
    — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • There was a little confusion as to whether or not the match was really over, but when the bell rang, fans booed loudly.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of ring
Noun
  • The resulting flat ribbon geometry completely changes how the fiber responds to forces.
    — Pawel Maniewski, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Pale yellow ribbons weave between clouds; mist swirls with the body of dust.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of ribbon

Browse Nearby Words

girding
girdle
girdled
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Cite this Entry

“Girdle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/girdle. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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