What does "strap" mean?
A long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like.
Strap
/stɹæp/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like.
- Grammar: strap is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: aculeate, acuminate, adhesive tape, anchor.
- Useful contrasts: forgive, loosen, pardon.
- Usage evidence: Hold on to the strap. The train will start to move soon.
How to use "strap"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "strap" 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 "strap" 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 "strap" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "strap" 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 "strap" 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 "aculeate" 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 "strap", 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, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like. countable, uncountable
"The patter of feet, and clatter of strap and swivel, seemed to swell into a bewildering din, but they were almost upon the fielato offices, where the carretera entered the town, before a rifle flashed."
- 2 whip consisting of a strip of leather used in flogging wordnet
- 3 A long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like.; A strap worn on the shoulder. countable, uncountable
- 4 an elongated leather strip (or a strip of similar material) for binding things together or holding something in position wordnet
- 5 A strip of thick leather used in flogging. countable, uncountable
"a lively cobbler, that […] had scarce passed a day in his life without giving her [his wife] the discipline of the strap."
Show 14 more definitions
- 6 a band that goes over the shoulder and supports a garment or bag wordnet
- 7 Something made of such a strip, or of a part of one, or a combination of two or more for a particular use. countable, uncountable
- 8 hanger consisting of a loop of leather suspended from the ceiling of a bus or train; passengers hold onto it wordnet
- 9 A piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, used to hone the sharpened edge of a razor; a strop. countable, uncountable
- 10 A narrow strip of anything, as of iron or brass.; A band, plate, or loop of metal for clasping and holding timbers or parts of a machine. countable, uncountable
- 11 A narrow strip of anything, as of iron or brass.; A piece of rope or metal passing around a block and used for fastening it to anything. countable, uncountable
- 12 The flat part of the corolla in ligulate florets, as those of the white circle in the daisy. countable, uncountable
- 13 The leaf, exclusive of its sheath, in some grasses. countable, uncountable
- 14 A gun, normally a personal firearm such as a pistol or machine pistol. countable, slang, uncountable
"Had to pull a strap on a fool named Louis the Third / 'Cause I'm getting chased by the ghetto bird"
- 15 Credit offered to a customer, especially for alcoholic drink. archaic, slang, uncountable
- 16 A strap-on. countable, slang, uncountable
"After that, I graduated up to my first serious queer relationship where I learned the ropes. The first partner who strapped me made it everything I had wished for. She was thoughtful, patient, and would take her cues from how I responded. It was the complete opposite of my first sexual experience which was deeply disappointing and harmful. She bought a new strap just for us — a purple one with a Black harness. She had trouble putting it on, and it was important to her that she didn’t get dressed in front of me. As she struggled in the bathroom with the door open I laughed. “Don’t look!” she screamed as I heard her adorably grunt. She refused my giggly filled offer of help but that little moment beautifully eased the mood for my first time, releasing the tension I felt at being awkward and so new to strap-on sex, especially with a partner who had over a decade more experience than me."
- 17 Synonym of strapline. countable, uncountable
- 18 A championship belt, or by extension, the title. countable, slang, uncountable, with-definite-article
"David Arquette was given the belt because he's a celebrity. Period. I wasn't that upset about it because even the on-air product treated it as laughable. It was a "fluke" that Arquette managed to grab the strap, and he held it for less than a week. But there was no point in it....that I do agree with."
- 19 An investment strategy involving simultaneous trade with one put and two call options on the same security at the same strike price, similar to but more bullish than a straddle. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To beat or chastise with a strap; to whip, to lash. transitive
- 2 secure (a sprained joint) with a strap wordnet
- 3 To fasten or bind with a strap. transitive
- 4 sharpen with a strap wordnet
- 5 To sharpen by rubbing on a strap; to strop. transitive
"to strap a razor"
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 tie with a strap wordnet
- 7 To slap or stroke the muscled areas of a horse with a cloth or pad, a form of massage meant to improve muscle tone. transitive
- 8 beat severely with a whip or rod wordnet
Example
"Hold on to the strap. The train will start to move soon."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "strap"?
Common synonyms include: aculeate, acuminate, adhesive tape, anchor, armband, band.
How do you use "strap" in a sentence?
Hold on to the strap. The train will start to move soon.
How do you pronounce "strap"?
Pronounced /stɹæp/.
Etymology
From a variant of earlier strope (“loop on a harness”), from Middle English strope, stroppe, from Late Old English strop, stropp (“a band, thong, strap; oar-thong”) and Old French estrope (“strap, loop on a harness”), both from Latin stroppus, struppus (“strap”), from Ancient Greek στρόφος (stróphos, “rope”) (compare strophe), from στρέφω (stréphō, “to twist”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *strebʰ- (compare Proto-West Germanic *stroppōn (“to twist, writhe”)). Cognate with Scots strap, strop (“strap, band, thong”), Dutch strop (“noose, strop, loop”), Low German Strop (“strap”), German Struppe, Strüppe, Strippe (“string, cord”), Danish strop (“strap”), Swedish stropp (“strap, loop”).