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Showing results for bonding. Search instead for debonding.
Synonyms

bonding

American  
[bon-ding] / ˈbɒn dɪŋ /

noun

  1. Psychology, Animal Behavior.

    1. a relationship that usually begins at the time of birth between a parent and offspring and that establishes the basis for an ongoing mutual attachment.

    2. the establishment of a pair bond.

  2. a close friendship that develops between adults, often as a result of intense experiences, as those shared in military combat.

  3. Dentistry. a technique or procedure for restoring the discolored or damaged surface of a tooth by coating it with a highly durable resinous material that adheres to the existing enamel.

bonding British  
/ ˈbɒndɪŋ /

noun

  1. the process by which individuals become emotionally attached to one another See also pair bond

"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 bonding

First recorded in 1670–80, for an earlier sense; bond 1 + -ing 1

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.

Such a network is often very sensitive to strain, and applying strain can partially relieve the frustration within the bonding pattern.

From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026

The greater the changes in the brain, the more likely women were to say they were relating to, and bonding well, with their babies - the team of scientists found.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

“It was a K-pop storm. Before that, me and my son were bonding off of my music.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

It’s also like, is this trauma bonding or ...

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

For the next year, social workers made regular home and school visits to make sure we were bonding properly.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

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.