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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.

Dorsey explained in a social media post that he could either make gradual cuts over the next few years or rip the band-aid off now.

From Barron's

Many sleep experts worry a sleepcation is just a temporary Band-Aid for a broken work-life balance.

From The Wall Street Journal

Maybe what Andre has with Lisa-Marie Anne is true love, or maybe it’s just a Band-Aid to cover the bloody wound Mom left behind.

From Literature

“I thought you might want to do something different today,” she said as she peeled at the Band-Aid on her elbow, revealing a bumpy scab underneath.

From Literature

The nurse was a sloth, though, so it would take half a day for her to get out there with even a Band-Aid.

From Literature

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.