braces
Americanplural noun
Explanation
Braces are put on your teeth to help straighten them. Braces are most often seen on kids between the ages of nine and fourteen, but every once in a while you might find an adult with them too! Braces are orthodontic devices that date back to ancient times. Some Egyptian mummies have been discovered with makeshift ones. Modern-day braces work by applying gentle pressure to shift teeth into their desired positions using wires, brackets, and colorful rubber bands. While a journey with braces involves some discomfort and tooth sensitivity, the end result is often a wonderfully aligned set of teeth that can boost both oral health and confidence.
Vocabulary lists containing braces
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.
Knee braces ranked highly across several important measures.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026
“Modeling was performing, but I had braces and noticed I was chubbier than everybody else, creating new anxieties. To be 11, 12, and 13 just sucked.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
Their meeting comes as the 27-member European Union braces for tough negotiations to agree a joint budget for the seven-year stretch 2028-34.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
The wrist braces resemble the kind sold at a drugstore to help with tendon pain, the only difference being each comes equipped with a 7-pound weight at the end.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
I’m sure Amy Goldberg thought I was making fun of her new braces because she was right in front of me then, but spun away, rolling her eyes.
From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings
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.
