What does "ribbon" mean?
A long, narrow strip of material used for decoration of clothing or the hair or gift wrapping.
Ribbon
/ˈɹɪbən/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A long, narrow strip of material used for decoration of clothing or the hair or gift wrapping.
- Grammar: ribbon is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: actinic ray, actinism, adhesive tape, adorn.
- Useful contrasts: detach, remove, unfasten.
- Usage evidence: Could you tie it with a ribbon?
How to use "ribbon"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ribbon" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ribbon" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "ribbon" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "ribbon" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ribbon" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "actinic ray" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "ribbon", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A long, narrow strip of material used for decoration of clothing or the hair or gift wrapping. countable, uncountable
"A Svveet diſorder in the dreſſe / Kindles in cloathes a vvantonneſſe: / […] / A Cuffe neglectfull, and thereby / Ribbands to flovv confuſedly: / […] / Do more bevvitch me, than vvhen Art / Is too preciſe in every part."
- 2 notion consisting of a narrow strip of fine material used for trimming wordnet
- 3 An awareness ribbon. countable, uncountable
"With Monday marking the beginning of October’s annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month observance, supporters will be donning their pink ribbons as a show of support for ongoing research for a cure."
- 4 a long strip of inked material for making characters on paper with a typewriter wordnet
- 5 An inked strip of material against which type is pressed to print letters in a typewriter or printer. countable, uncountable
"Late at night, in the typewriter light / Ripped his ribbon to shreds"
Show 15 more definitions
- 6 an award for winning a championship or commemorating some other event wordnet
- 7 A narrow strip or shred. countable, uncountable
"a steel or magnesium ribbon"
- 8 any long object resembling a thin line wordnet
- 9 A narrow strip or shred.; In ice cream and similar confections, an ingredient (often chocolate, butterscotch, caramel, or fudge) added in a long narrow strip. countable, uncountable
- 10 Alternative form of ribband. alt-of, alternative, countable, uncountable
- 11 A painted moulding on the side of a ship. countable, uncountable
- 12 A watchspring. countable, uncountable
- 13 A bandsaw. countable, uncountable
- 14 Reins for a horse. countable, dated, in-plural, slang, uncountable
""Here, sir, hold the ribbons." This to me, throwing me the reins. Jack got down from his perch, and after a little search in the bush was rewarded by the capture of the poor dazed pigeon, who was consigned to safe custody in the boot."
- 15 A bearing similar to the bend, but only one eighth as wide. countable, uncountable
- 16 A sliver. countable, uncountable
- 17 A subheadline presented above its parent headline. countable, uncountable
- 18 A toolbar that incorporates tabs and menus. countable, uncountable
"Office programs are drowning in features—and they're crammed into so many different nooks and crannies that even pros don't know where to look. That's where the new ribbon fits in."
- 19 An apparatus with a handle and a long narrow strip of fabric. countable
- 20 An apparatus with a handle and a long narrow strip of fabric.; An apparatus program with a ribbon. countable, metonymically, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To decorate with ribbon. transitive
- 2 To stripe or streak. transitive
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Could you tie it with a ribbon?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ribbon"?
Common synonyms include: actinic ray, actinism, adhesive tape, adorn, arch, atomic beam.
How do you use "ribbon" in a sentence?
Could you tie it with a ribbon?
How do you pronounce "ribbon"?
Pronounced /ˈɹɪbən/.
Etymology
From Middle English riban, ryban, ryband, from Old French riban, ruban ( > modern French ruban), of uncertain origin. Likely from a Germanic compound whose second element is cognate with English band. Compare Middle Dutch ringhband (“necklace”, literally “ring-band”).