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Synonyms

Band-Aid

American  
[band-eyd] / ˈbændˌeɪd /
Trademark.

  1. a brand of adhesive bandage with a gauze pad in the center, used to cover minor abrasions and cuts.

noun

  1. (often lowercase) a makeshift, limited, or temporary aid or solution that does not satisfy the basic or long-range need.

    The proposed reform isn't thorough enough to be more than just a band-aid.

adjective

  1. (often lowercase) serving as a makeshift, limited, or temporary aid or solution.

    band-aid measures to solve a complex problem.
Band-Aid British  
/ ˈbændˌeɪd /

noun

  1. a gauze surgical dressing backed by adhesive tape

  2. informal (sometimes not capitals) somethinɡ that provides a temporary solution to a problem

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Band-Aid

1965–70 Band-Aid for defs. 2, 3

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.

Ripping off the Band-Aid and auditing myself was a massive relief.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Retiree Orlando Ocana, 76, said the Russian shipment was a "Band-Aid."

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

“It’s a little bit more of a Band-Aid probably than any of us would really like to admit, but it still feels like something that’s really worthwhile,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 6, 2025

You got to rip the Band-Aid off and have these conversations.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 30, 2025

A used Band-Aid, crusted with blood, lay on the floor next to the wastebasket.

From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar

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.