mesh
Americannoun
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meshes
plural
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any knit, woven, or knotted fabric of open texture.
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an interwoven or intertwined structure; network.
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any arrangement of interlocking metal links or wires with evenly spaced, uniform small openings between, as used in jewelry or sieves.
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one of the open spaces between the cords or ropes of a net.
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meshes,
-
the threads that bind such spaces.
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the means of catching or holding fast.
to be caught in the meshes of the law.
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Machinery. the engagement of gear teeth.
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Electricity. a set of branches that forms a closed path in a network so that removal of a branch results in an open path.
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Metallurgy. a designation of a given fineness of powder used in powder metallurgy in terms of the number of the finest screen through which almost all the particles will pass.
This powder is 200 mesh.
verb (used with object)
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meshes,
present (3rd person singular)
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meshed,
past participle, past
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meshing
present participle
-
to catch or entangle in or as if in a net; enmesh.
-
to form with meshes, as a net.
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Machinery. to engage, as gear teeth.
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to cause to match, coordinate, or interlock.
They tried to mesh their vacation plans.
verb (used without object)
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meshes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
meshed,
past participle, past
-
meshing
present participle
-
to become enmeshed.
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Machinery. to become or be engaged, as the teeth of one gear with those of another.
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to match, coordinate, or interlock.
The two versions of the story don't mesh.
noun
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a network; net
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an open space between the strands of a network
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(often plural) the strands surrounding these spaces
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anything that ensnares, or holds like a net
the mesh of the secret police
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the engagement of teeth on interacting gearwheels
the gears are in mesh
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a measure of spacing of the strands of a mesh or grid, expressed as the distance between strands for coarse meshes or a number of strands per unit length for fine meshes
verb
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to entangle or become entangled
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(of gear teeth) to engage or cause to engage
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to coordinate (with)
to mesh with a policy
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to work or cause to work in harmony
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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meshsimple
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meshessimple
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have meshedperfect
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has meshedperfect
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am meshingprogressive
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are meshingprogressive
-
is meshingprogressive
-
have been meshingperfect progressive
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has been meshingperfect progressive
Past
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meshedsimple
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had meshedperfect
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was meshingprogressive
-
were meshingprogressive
-
had been meshingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of mesh
1375–1425; late Middle English mesch, apparently continuing Old English masc, max; akin to Old High German māsca, Middle Dutch maesche
Explanation
Use the word mesh for fabric made of loosely woven fibers. A butterfly net is made of mesh, and so is a window screen. Some mesh is made from string or fabric, like a fishing net or a mesh sports jersey, while other mesh is metal or plastic, like a tea strainer. In either case, it's woven loosely enough that there are small holes throughout its surface. Another meaning of mesh is "harmonize" or "work well together." In the fourteenth century, it was spelled mesche, and it meant "open space in a net," from the Old English word for net, max.
Vocabulary lists containing mesh
Bunnicula
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Ground Zero
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"Efrén Divided" by Ernesto Cisneros, Chapters 12–19
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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:
The biggest change is at the Amalfi’s front end, where a mesh grille separates the car’s nose from its scimitar-shaped chin spoiler.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
Resembling fishing nets, the mesh lacks the sophistication of other military hardware.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
Jimin, his hair grown long and dyed blond, was the night’s standout in a mesh top he paired with what looked an awful lot like somebody’s grandpa’s fishing vest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Most importantly, on the field, the pair mesh well.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
The screen door had a yellowed index card stuck in the wire mesh that said, ENTER.
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
The Fed’s mission meshes more clearly with powers assigned by the Constitution to Congress than to the president.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
While Moss said he was grateful to play at USC, he said he’s drawing from positives as he meshes with a new team and works with Louisville coach Jeff Brohm and his staff.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2025
The simpler fabrication technique also meshes better with standard manufacturing processes and reduces the overall energy use, which lowers its carbon dioxide emissions.
From Science Daily ● May 7, 2024
The horrifying yet thought-provoking showcase, courtesy of directors Melissa Robledo and Robert Kenner, once again meshes science, data and emotions to illustrate how our industrialized food system has gotten worse nearly 15 years later.
From Salon ● Apr. 14, 2024
“You’ve been lying out on the meshes, and they’re dreadful aguish. Rheumatic too.”
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
They meshed together as far as cohesive force.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2025
The group never quite meshed under Vogel, finishing last season with a 49-33 record before getting swept by Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs.
From Seattle Times ● May 10, 2024
Manasi says that experience inspired her collection of clothing featuring South Asian women in traditional cultural dress meshed with classic Halloween images.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2023
Steve Jordan, who was Watts’s personal pick to take over, meshed well with the group’s live energy, though.
From New York Times ● Oct. 24, 2023
Every man played a different beat and a different tune, but the music meshed together into one big happy sound.
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
Our problem isn’t like the meshing of Disney and Cap Cities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Older workers could turn out to be more valuable than younger ones, he said, by meshing their experience with the tools of artificial intelligence.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
The company, however, is already thinking of that with laser meshing technology and wireless spectrum acquisitions.
From Barron's ● Jun. 7, 2026
The meshing of those priorities created a lush landscape you can glimpse in Streisand’s 2010 book “My Passion for Design,” showcasing the homes and gardens she built and decorated on her ocean-facing property in Malibu.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2025
I could almost hear the gears meshing in my brother’s head.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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