cement

American  

[si-ment] / sɪˈmɛnt /

noun

• cements
  plural

1. any of various calcined mixtures of clay and limestone, usually mixed with water and sand, gravel, etc., to form concrete, that are used as a building material.

2. any of various soft, sticky substances that dry hard or stonelike, used especially for mending broken objects or for making things adhere.

3. Petrography. the compact groundmass surrounding and binding together the fragments of clastic rocks.

4. anything that binds or unites.

   Time is the cement of friendship.

5. Dentistry.

   1. a hardening, adhesive, plastic substance, used in the repair of teeth for anchoring fillings or inlays, for filling, or for fastening crowns.

   2. Informal. cementum.

---

verb (used with object)

• cements,
  present (3rd person singular)
• cemented,
  past participle,  past
• cementing
  present participle

1. to unite by or as if by cement.

   to cement stones to form a wall; to cement a relationship.

   Synonyms:

   secure, fuse, bind, join, merge

2. to coat or cover with cement.

   to cement a floor.

verb (used without object)

• cements,
  present (3rd person singular)
• cemented,
  past participle,  past
• cementing
  present participle

1. to become cemented; join together or unite; cohere.

cement British  

/ sɪˈmɛnt /

noun

1. a fine grey powder made of a mixture of calcined limestone and clay, used with water and sand to make mortar, or with water, sand, and aggregate, to make concrete

2. a binder, glue, or adhesive

3. something that unites or joins; bond

4. dentistry any of various materials used in filling teeth

5. mineral matter, such as silica and calcite, that binds together particles of rock, bones, etc, to form a solid mass of sedimentary rock

6. another word for cementum

---

verb

1. to reinforce or consolidate

   once a friendship is cemented it will last for life

2. to join, bind, or glue together with or as if with cement

3. to coat or cover with cement

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cementer
  noun
• recement
  verb
• cementable
  adjective
• cementless
  adjective
• well-cemented
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cements
  plural

Participles

• cementing
  present
• cemented
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• cement
  simple
• cements
  simple
• have cemented
  perfect
• has cemented
  perfect
• am cementing
  progressive
• are cementing
  progressive
• is cementing
  progressive
• have been cementing
  perfect progressive
• has been cementing
  perfect progressive

Past

• cemented
  simple
• had cemented
  perfect
• was cementing
  progressive
• were cementing
  progressive
• had been cementing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will cement
  simple
• will have cemented
  perfect
• will be cementing
  progressive
• will have been cementing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of cement

1250–1300; < Latin cēmentum, variant of caementum (singular of caementa unprocessed cuttings from the quarry, i.e., rough stone and chips) < *caed-mentom, equivalent to caed ( ere ) to cut + -mentum -ment; replacing Middle English cyment < Old French ciment < Latin, as above

Explanation

Cement is a material that's used to build very strong, hard surfaces and structures. Cement is an ingredient in both mortar, which holds bricks together, and concrete, with which dams and roads and buildings are constructed. Cement begins as a powder made of clay and limestone, and after it's mixed with water and, often, sand, it's used to strengthen and bind things — as the mixture dries, it becomes hard and solid. A version of cement has been around since the third century BCE, in Mesopotamia. The word comes from the Latin root cæmenta, "stone chips for making mortar," from caedere, "to cut or chop."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cement cements cemented cementing

Permafrost acts as ice cement, holding rock faces together.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

Lawrence is one of the players looking to cement a place in the new-look England team and he enhanced his credentials with an unbeaten 50, his second half-century in as many Tests.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

They found that nearly half of those declines were caused by the planet-heating gases released into the atmosphere by 122 of the world’s largest fossil fuel and cement companies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

United is looking to extend its global reach to cement its lead over rivals and overtake Delta Air Lines as the most profitable U.S. carrier.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

“Wait here, please,” said Yao, going into the cement building.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

This comes at a time when Beijing is polishing its image abroad as it cements its role as a global power.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

“His insistence on color saturation is something that really informs his work for ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ and it’s really that movie that cements his reputation as one of the masters of scenic art.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

When a high number of people admire a luxury company, even if they can’t afford to own its goods, it cements its value as a status symbol.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

The win cements a remarkable resurgence for the Patriots.

From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026

Epic in scope, violence, and imagination, Deathstorm is a new benchmark in the fantasy genre and cements forever G. M. Pennington’s status as the American Tolkien.

From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner

But it seems to have cemented a core belief: Being a good swimmer can be a lifesaving skill.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

Campari’s Aperol has ignited sales of the spritz culture in the U.S. and cemented its brand as a hallmark of aspirational joie de vivre.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

But it was 1986’s “A Smoky Mountain Christmas,” Parton’s down-home festive fable, that cemented her as a seasonal favorite.

From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026

With a few strokes of his pencil, Filippo Sorcinelli brought to life a flowing liturgical robe -- fitting for the man whose artistry and faith have cemented an international reputation for one-of-a-kind ecclesiastical attire.

From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026

Where the grass gave way to the woods, I found a stone wall crudely cemented together, not even knee high but nearly fifty yards long.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd

On Friday, Microsoft’s stock notched its sixth straight session of gains — rising 6.7% over that multiday period, and cementing its longest winning streak since Oct.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026

MacKenzie Scott—then MacKenzie Bezos—went on to help her then-husband Jeff Bezos launch Amazon, cementing her place as one of the world’s wealthiest and most generous women.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

As the full-time whistle blew, cementing Spain's victory, the pair could be seen embracing on the pitch.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

We also see the inspirations for and evolution of her creative journey across the decades, further cementing her place as the one of the 20th century’s greatest and most important artists.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

Technically, they were still Witchlings until their circle was sealed, cementing them as a true coven.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

Related Words

• adhesive
• mud
• plaster
• sand