duct tape

American

[duhk, duhkt] / dʌk, dʌkt /

noun

a strongly adhesive silver-gray cloth tape, used in plumbing, household repairs, etc.

duct tape British

noun

a type of strong waterproof adhesive silver-coloured cloth tape used for repairs by plumbers, electricians, etc

"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

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.

Minutes after that, Campbell removed the duct tape from the doorbell camera which he discussed with his daughter by phone.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

The duct tape was priceless, with, as you know, a million important uses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 18, 2026

The duct-tape solution assumes you have duct tape — but the West’s is now in China because it was cheaper.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 3, 2026

We’re hurtling toward a future with more than 50 state systems patched together with duct tape and wishful thinking.

From Slate • Jul. 4, 2025

Contestants are tending to their boats, putting last-minute patches of duct tape on areas they missed.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023