ribbon
noun
rib·bon
| \ ˈri-bən
\
\
Definition of ribbon
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: a flat or tubular narrow closely woven fabric (as of silk or rayon) used for trimmings or knitting
b
: a narrow fabric used for tying packages
c
: a piece of usually multicolored ribbon worn as a military decoration or in place of a medal
d
: a strip of colored satin given for winning a place in a competition
2
: a strip of inked fabric (as in a typewriter)
3
ribbons plural
: reins for controlling an animal
5
: ribband
ribbon
verb
ribboned;
ribboning;
ribbons
Definition of ribbon (Entry 2 of 2)
2
: to rip to shreds
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Other Words from ribbon
Noun
ribbonlike
\ ˈri-bən-ˌlīk
\
adjective
\
adjective
Synonyms for ribbon
Synonyms: Noun
Synonyms: Verb
rend, rip, rive, shred, tatter, tear
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Examples of ribbon in a Sentence
Noun
She wore pink ribbons in her hair. She tied a ribbon around the present. The present was tied with ribbon. The soldier proudly wore his ribbons and medals. Her pie won a ribbon at the county fair.Verb
over the years the historic flag had become badly ribboned by the wind
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The town of around 4,000 people 120 miles south of Louisville mourned the loss of Doolin with pink ribbons and balloons dotting the town and being released into the air as she was laid to rest. — Sarah Ladd, The Courier-Journal, "Kentucky man charged with murdering, raping girl in 2015 pleads guilty," 25 Aug. 2019 Photographs and stories about the dwelling with ribbons of tall windows to frame the outdoors were published in national architectural and home and garden magazines. — oregonlive.com, "Celebrating architect Pietro Belluschi’s 120th anniversary: You’re invited to walking tours, talks this weekend," 16 Aug. 2019 The women wore prison uniforms with ribbons in their long hair. — Linda Deutsch, Washington Post, "AP Was There: Charles Manson, followers convicted of murder," 7 Aug. 2019 Today, people celebrate May Day on May 1 by dancing around a maypole decorated with colorful ribbons, gathering wildflowers, and sometimes electing a May Queen. — Elena Nicolaou, refinery29.com, "How Midsommar's May Queen Scene Connects To A Real Swedish Legend," 5 July 2019 The third-place Sox needed to return back to North America with more than baseball pioneer participation ribbons. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, "Red Sox traveled long way to learn they’re far from being threat to Yankees," 30 June 2019 And how’d that turn out? The Cardinals went 3-13 behind a defense that was as effective at stopping the run as the guys holding the ribbon before a marathon. — Greg Moore, azcentral, "Arizona Cardinals vs. Minnesota Vikings: 5 questions we're asking," 23 Aug. 2019 The pieces are made with platelike porcelain spheres and strips of porcelain ribbon. — New York Times, "Ann Demeulemeester Doesn’t Miss Fashion at All. She Has Other Plans.," 22 Aug. 2019 We have been especially touched by the blue Kelsey ribbons that have seemingly appeared everywhere in Alabama and states beyond. — Carol Robinson | [email protected], al, "Couple charged in boat crash that killed Kelsey Starling denies charges against them," 22 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
For decades, the viaduct provided shelter to homeless people below, who lived underneath decks of asphalt and steel that ribboned along the Puget Sound. — Vianna Davila, The Seattle Times, "As the Alaskan Way Viaduct comes down, so does a longtime shelter for Seattle’s homeless," 13 Jan. 2019 One of the original highways in the U.S. highway system, Route 66 stretches from Chicago to Santa Monica, totaling in 2,448 miles of ribboning highway. — Lydia Culp, Fox News, "Best US road trips," 2 Apr. 2018 Layers of cool hues and ribboned marble give the interior a quiet and calming vibe. — Neal J. Leitereg, latimes.com, "Contemporary three-story displays a fresh face in Playa Vista," 2 May 2018 For instance, the exterior of the 33-story glassy tower is punctuated with full-height bay windows, and each floor is ribboned with a horizontal green band. — Pamela Dittmer Mckuen, chicagotribune.com, "New angular Loop apartment wants you to fall in love with its lines," 21 Dec. 2017 The croissants are Philly’s best, their whorling layers tanged with cultured butter and honey — even better ribboned with intense chocolate. — Craig Laban, Philly.com, "Hungry Pigeon serves comfort plates with a cheffy twist," 9 Dec. 2017 In the chef’s kitchen, ribboned calacatta marble countertops pair with custom white cabinetry. — Neal J. Leitereg, latimes.com, "Former Angel Gary Matthews Jr. parts with a home base in Corona del Mar," 19 Oct. 2017 Perhaps the best example of this is Lasa’s lumpia sariwa, a menu staple that takes a traditional Filipino rice flour crepe and the cuisine’s signature bright, vinegary sauces and pairs them with a bed of ribboned kale. — Zan Romanoff, Bon Appetit, "We Want Everything on the Menu at This New Cali-Filipino Restaurant," 12 Sep. 2017 For me, all the blue and gold ribboned boxes in the world can’t hold a candle to Passover. — Orange County Register, "Cooking with Judy: Can’t beat the cuisine at the community Seder," 6 Apr. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ribbon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for ribbon
ribbon
noun
English Language Learners Definition of ribbon
: a narrow piece of cloth (such as silk) that is used to tie things or for decoration
: a short piece of cloth that is given as a military award
chiefly US
: a piece of colored cloth that is given as an award in a competition
See the full definition for ribbon in the English Language Learners Dictionary
ribbon
noun