a small disk, knob, or the like for sewing or otherwise attaching to an article, as of clothing, serving as a fastening when passed through a buttonhole or loop.
anything resembling a button, especially in being small and round, as any of various candies, ornaments, tags, identification badges, reflectors, markers, etc.
a badge or emblem bearing a name, slogan, identifying figure, etc., for wear on the lapel, dress, etc..
campaign buttons.
any small knob or disk pressed to activate an electric circuit, release a spring, or otherwise operate or open a machine, small door, toy, etc.
Botany. a bud or other protuberant part of a plant.
Mycology.
a young or undeveloped mushroom.
any protuberant part of a fungus.
Zoology. any of various small parts or structures resembling a button, as the rattle at the tip of the tail in a very young rattlesnake.
Boxing Informal. the point of the chin.
Also called turn button. a fastener for a door, window, etc., having two arms and rotating on a pivot that is attached to the frame.
Metallurgy. (in assaying) a small globule or lump of metal at the bottom of a crucible after fusion.
Fencing. the protective, blunting knob fixed to the point of a foil.
Horology. crown.
Computers. (in a graphical user interface) a small, button-shaped or clearly defined area that the user can click on or touch to choose an option.
to fasten with a button or buttons.
She quickly buttoned her coat.
to insert (a button) in a buttonhole or loop.
He buttoned the top button of his shirt.
to provide (something) with a button or buttons.
have all one's buttons, to be mentally competent, alert, and sane; have all one's wits.
At 106 she still has all her buttons.
button up,
Also button one's lip. to become or keep silent.
to fasten securely; close up.
Within a short time, everything on the submarine was buttoned up.
to fasten fully or put on, especially an outer garment.
Button up before going out.
to complete successfully; finish.
The report is all buttoned up.
on the button, exactly as desired, expected, specified, etc..
The prediction for snow was right on the button.
a disc or knob of plastic, wood, etc, attached to a garment, etc, usually for fastening two surfaces together by passing it through a buttonhole or loop
a small round object, such as any of various sweets, decorations, or badges
a small disc that completes an electric circuit when pushed, as one that operates a doorbell or machine
a symbolic representation of a button on the screen of a computer that is notionally depressed by manipulating the mouse to initiate an action
biology any rounded knoblike part or organ, such as an unripe mushroom
fencing the protective knob fixed to the point of a foil
a small amount of metal, usually lead, with which gold or silver is fused, thus concentrating it during assaying
the piece of a weld that pulls out during the destructive testing of spot welds
rowing a projection around the loom of an oar that prevents it slipping through the rowlock
an object of no value (esp in the phrase not worth a button )
slang intellect; mental capacity (in such phrases as a button short , to have all one's buttons , etc)
informal exactly; precisely
to fasten with a button or buttons
(tr) to provide with buttons
(tr) fencing to hit (an opponent) with the button of one's foil
to stop talking: often imperative
1275–1325; Middle English boto ( u ) n < Anglo-French: rosehip, button, stud; Middle French boton, equivalent to boter to butt 3 + -on noun suffix
A button is a small, flat, round object often found on clothing. It can also describe the round disc you press to turn on an electronic device, like the button you push to turn on your computer. The noun button also can refer to the little round billboards people pin to their clothes to display their favorite political candidate, band, organization, or saying. Button can also be a verb, which describes the act of fastening buttons, like when you button your shirt. Or if you work at an electronics factory, your job might be to button, or attach buttons to, a cell phone.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While Damodaran might publish one or two valuations a month, the bot can run that same analysis across the entire S&P 500 with the push of a button.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Pronto advertises hourly services ranging from window cleaning to "after-party express clean-ups", while Urban Company offers everything from repairs to salon treatments at the touch of a button.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
"What we're not about is loading something on a machine and pressing a button."
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Lores was brought in at PayPal after the company’s namesake checkout button, which lets customers pay on a range of websites, posted weak growth to end 2025.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
First he took out his dad's shaving cream and pushed the button on top so that it foamed out into his hand.
From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry
When Travis Kelce said “I do” to Taylor Swift, he was also committing to her three cats: Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson and Benjamin Button.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
"The risk of a falling dollar is that that inflation re-accelerates," said Button, who sees a risk that investors will view a declining dollar as a sign other US assets should be avoided.
From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 2026
Button won back-to-back Olympic men’s titles in 1948 and 1952, as well as five consecutive world championships and seven U.S. titles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 23, 2025
A British Williams protege, Button entered F1 aged only 20 in 2000.
From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2025
“That’s right, we’re still looking for the Blue Button Bandit,” Humble says.
From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini
When this was realised, the automated blue-flag system was disconnected and the FIA relied on marshals showing blue flags or pressing the buttons that operate the blue-light panels trackside.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
It’s visiting elements that can penetrate your soul and stay with you and inspire you or push buttons or make you angry or make you happy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
But to see him moving the levers and pushing buttons was fascinating.
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
Companies that gathered at the Automate conference in Chicago said many of those are already taking shape, beginning with emergency stop buttons and going all the way down to the microchip level.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
Thorn nodded back and murmured, “Descoser,” ever so quietly as she pointed one old-lady finger at the buttons on Mr. Dimblewit’s jacket.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
It’s good the NFL isn’t as buttoned up as it used to be regarding its public image, although it’s probably wishing this story would go away.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026
Appearing remotely via video-link wearing a partially buttoned pale blue shirt, Brand, the ex-husband of popstar Katy Perry, only spoke to confirm his name and his date of birth.
From Barron's ● Jan. 20, 2026
By keeping buttoned up about its plans and intentions, Team Trump appears to have spared itself the Pottery Barn rule.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 6, 2026
A year after graduating, he began designing menswear at Stirling Copper and was responsible for the body-hugging, buttoned trousers Sir Mick Jagger wore during The Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter tour in 1969.
From BBC ● Dec. 17, 2025
She buttoned his coat and turned up the collar about his neck.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
Instead of clocking into a cubicle for a traditional 9-to-5 and buttoning corporate uniforms each morning, some new grads are spinning records from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. or writing Substack newsletters from cafes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026
Ms Thompson said that despite 2024 looking like it will be a challenging year, households are very good at adapting to a new lending landscape and "buttoning down the hatches."
From BBC ● Dec. 10, 2023
“Maybe if they need help buttoning their pants, I’ll have them come out of the bathroom and I’ll help them, but that’s it,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2023
A smart person would respond to Carroll's new court filing by buttoning up.
From Salon ● May 24, 2023
A man, obviously awakened from sleep, came down the hall in his undershirt, buttoning on trousers.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
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.
