string
Americannoun
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a slender cord or thick thread used for binding or tying; line.
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something resembling a cord or thread.
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Also called cosmic string. Physics. a mathematical entity used to represent elementary particles, as gravitons, quarks, or leptons, in terms of a small but finite stringlike object existing in the four dimensions of spacetime and in additional, hypothetical, spacelike dimensions. The theory of such objects string theory avoids the many mathematical difficulties that arise from treating particles as points.
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a narrow strip of flexible material, as cloth or leather, for tying parts together.
the strings of a bonnet.
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a necklace consisting of a number of beads, pearls, or the like threaded or strung on a cord; strand.
She wore a double string of pearls.
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any series of things arranged or connected in a line or following closely one after another: a string of questions.
a string of islands;
a string of questions.
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a series of railroad cars coupled together but not constituting an entire train.
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Journalism. a compilation of clippings of a stringer's published writings, submitted in request of payment according to an agreed space rate.
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a group of animals, especially saddle horses, owned or used by one person.
a string of polo ponies.
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(in a musical instrument) a tightly stretched cord or wire that produces a tone when caused to vibrate, as by plucking, striking, or friction of a bow.
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strings,
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stringed instruments, especially those played with a bow.
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players on such instruments in an orchestra or band.
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a bowstring.
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a cord or fiber in a plant.
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the tough piece uniting the two parts of a pod.
the strings of beans.
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Architecture.
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a stringcourse.
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Also called stringer. one of the sloping sides of a stair, supporting the treads and risers.
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Computers, Linguistics. a linear sequence of symbols, words, characters, or bits that is treated as a unit.
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Billiards, Pool.
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a stroke made by each player from the head of the table to the opposite cushion and back, to determine, by means of the resultant positions of the cue balls, who shall open the game.
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Also called string line. a line from behind which the cue ball is placed after being out of play.
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a complement of contestants or players grouped as a squad in accordance with their skill.
He made the second string on the football team.
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Usually strings conditions or limitations on a proposal.
a generous offer with no strings attached.
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Obsolete. a ligament, nerve, or the like in an animal body.
verb (used with object)
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to furnish with or as with a string or strings: to string a bow.
to string a bonnet;
to string a bow.
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to extend or stretch (a cord, thread, etc.) from one point to another.
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to thread on or as on a string.
to string beads.
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to connect in or as in a line; arrange in a series or succession.
She knows how to string words together.
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Music.
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to adjust the string of (a bow) or tighten the strings of (a musical instrument) to the required pitch.
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to equip (a bow or instrument) with new strings.
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to provide or adorn with something suspended or slung.
a room strung with festoons.
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to deprive of a string or strings; strip the strings from.
to string beans.
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to make tense, as the sinews, nerves, mind, etc.
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to kill by hanging (usually followed byup ).
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Slang. to fool or hoax.
verb (used without object)
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to form into or move in a string or series.
The ideas string together coherently.
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to form into a string or strings, as a glutinous substance does when pulled.
Good taffy doesn't break—it strings.
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lag. Billiards, Pool. to strike a cue ball to determine the order of play.
verb phrase
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string along
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to be in agreement; follow with confidence.
He found he couldn't string along with all their modern notions.
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to keep (a person) waiting or in a state of uncertainty.
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to deceive; cheat; trick.
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string out
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to extend; stretch out.
The parade strung out for miles.
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to prolong.
The promised three days strung out to six weeks.
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idioms
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pull strings / wires,
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to use one's influence or authority, usually in secret, in order to bring about a desired result.
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to gain or attempt to gain one's objectives by means of influential friends, associates, etc..
He had his uncle pull strings to get him a promotion.
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on a / the string, subject to the whim of another; in one's power; dependent.
After keeping me on a string for two months, they finally hired someone else.
noun
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a thin length of cord, twine, fibre, or similar material used for tying, hanging, binding, etc
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a group of objects threaded on a single strand
a string of beads
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a series or succession of things, events, acts, utterances, etc
a string of oaths
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a number, chain, or group of similar things, animals, etc, owned by or associated with one person or body
a string of girlfriends
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a tough fibre or cord in a plant
the string of an orange
the string of a bean
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music a tightly stretched wire, cord, etc, found on stringed instruments, such as the violin, guitar, and piano
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short for bowstring
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architect short for string course stringer
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maths linguistics a sequence of symbols or words
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linguistics a linear sequence, such as a sentence as it is spoken
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physics a one-dimensional entity postulated to be a fundamental component of matter in some theories of particle physics See also cosmic string
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billiards another word for lag 1
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a group of characters that can be treated as a unit by a computer program
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(plural) complications or conditions (esp in the phrase no strings attached )
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(modifier) composed of stringlike strands woven in a large mesh
a string bag
string vest
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to have control or a hold over (a person), esp emotionally
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informal to exert personal influence, esp secretly or unofficially
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to have real or ultimate control of something
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a person or thing regarded as a secondary source of strength
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(plural)
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violins, violas, cellos, and double basses collectively
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the section of a symphony orchestra constituted by such instruments
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verb
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(tr) to provide with a string or strings
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(tr) to suspend or stretch from one point to another
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(tr) to thread on a string
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(tr) to form or extend in a line or series
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(foll by out) to space or spread out at intervals
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informal to kill (a person) by hanging
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(tr) to remove the stringy parts from (vegetables, esp beans)
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(intr) (esp of viscous liquids) to become stringy or ropey
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to cause to be tense or nervous
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billiards another word for lag 1
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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stringsimple
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stringssimple
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have strungperfect
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has strungperfect
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am stringingprogressive
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are stringingprogressive
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is stringingprogressive
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have been stringingperfect progressive
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has been stringingperfect progressive
Past
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stringedsimple
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strungsimple
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had strungperfect
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was stringingprogressive
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were stringingprogressive
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had been stringingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of string
First recorded before 900; (for the noun) Middle English string, streng, Old English streng; cognate with Dutch streng, German Strang, Old Norse strengr; akin to Latin stringere “to bind, tie”; (for the verb) late Middle English stringen “to string a bow,” derivative of the noun; see stringent ( def. )
Explanation
A string is a strand of fiber that's thinner than a cord or a rope. You can tie on a Halloween mask with a string, or weave a friendship bracelet with a bunch of colorful strings. Strings are useful for tying up packages and cinching the waist of your sweatpants. You can also have a figurative string, a series or sequence: "Our team had a string of wins." As a verb, string means "attach together" or "thread onto a string." It can also mean "put strings on an instrument" — you might string your new ukulele, for example. And when you "string someone along," you mislead them on purpose over and over again.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It uses a string of LED lights laid along the track to signal to an athlete the exact rhythm he needs to break a record.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Federov's six months at the helm in the defence ministry have coincided with a string of military successes for which the minister, not always fairly perhaps, is credited.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
He announced that he would resign as prime minister and Labour Party leader in June after a string of scandals, missteps and policy U-turns blighted his leadership.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
The Italian cable maker’s 10-year agreement with Molex to supply optical fiber for data centers is part of a string of new agreements it will make with infrastructure providers, Prysmian said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Danny pulled the string around the scroll and unfurled it.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
It was illuminating to hear the period-instrument orchestra—led by Geoffrey Loff, who also played keyboard—with its softer strings and prominent bassoons, though the continuo cellist struggled with coordination.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Farage and Harborne have both said there were no strings attached to the personal gift, nor to the political donations to Reform.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Mr. Argue’s arrangements evoke that same sense of vulnerability, of raw emotion, blending bold sweeps of strings with spare passages.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
There is an argument for giving gifts with strings attached — mainly, if you don’t like the strings, don’t accept the gift.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
He wears a necklace of a large piece of copper, and many strings of beads.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
Meanwhile, Black Americans enslaved on plantations were using homemade instruments such as stringed gourds to produce music with complex rhythms influenced by African traditions, which would later develop into blues and jazz.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 15, 2026
Santoor is a trapezoid-shaped stringed musical instrument, similar to a dulcimer, which is played with mallets.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2025
As she experiments between strumming up and down, the forceful strike gives the stringed instrument a more percussive feel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2024
Recordings by Cajun singers and players of stringed instruments like Rusty and Doug Kershaw and Jimmy C. Newman often reached the country Top 40 in the 1950s and ’60s.
From New York Times ● Jan. 26, 2024
Mrs. Shigemura lifted Hatsue’s hair in her palms and said its consistency reminded her of mercury and that Hatsue should learn to play her hair lovingly, like a stringed musical instrument or a flute.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
The grass is being measured, the rackets strung and the strawberries and cream prepped.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
"We want something sort of like a racehorse, a little bit high strung, a little bit forward -- something that's got a heart, that's going to run."
From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026
In the second inning, the bottom of the lineup strung together two hits to score Max Muncy, who reached on a walk.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026
They consist of pairs of poles on each side of the road, with a strip of wire mesh strung between and running down to the ground on either side.
From Slate ● Apr. 28, 2026
We talk about how Rabia’s neighbors all have Christmas lights strung on their houses in the most intense competition she’s ever seen.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
His role in the middle of the park may often go under the radar, but he is the one stringing it all together.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
In early November, Edie Harmon, who has documented border wall activity in the Jacumba Wilderness since 2020, learned that Marines were stringing wire in an area called Skull Valley.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026
Micron’s point in stringing together this alphabetical atrocity is that the market for one of its most lucrative products could see 40% yearly growth through 2028, from $35 billion to $100 billion.
From Barron's ● Jan. 2, 2026
“He is stringing us along,” he said of the Russian leader.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2025
When Aileen and I walked by the dining hall and saw Gillian and her team stringing lights up under the portico, Aileen dropped the coat off her shoulders again and stared ahead.
From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.