latch
noun
a device for holding a door, gate, or the like, closed, consisting basically of a bar falling or sliding into a catch, groove, hole, etc.
latches
-
pluralof latch.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
Everything from seat-belt buckle mechanisms to door latches could change how passengers might evacuate in an emergency, or how they are protected in a crash, Federal Aviation Administration chief Bryan Bedford told reporters last month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Tesla’s vehicles primarily use electronic door latches that are opened by pressing a button.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 24, 2025
In 2021, the company also faced a recall related to faulty bonnet latches, some of which were misaligned and put the piece at increased risk of popping open.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2024
Postdoctoral researcher and study co-author Ashley Bennett offers a play-by-play: As the virus feels for its best attachment point on a human T-cell, the host cell's CD4 receptor is the first thing it latches onto.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 2, 2024
The door latches behind me with a clunk', my sheepskin slippers flop over as I step free of them.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
