seat belt
Americannoun
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seat belts
plural
noun
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Also called: safety belt. a belt or strap worn in a vehicle to restrain forward motion in the event of a collision
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a similar belt or strap worn in an aircraft at takeoff and landing and in rough weather
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of seat belt
First recorded in 1945–50
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.
They can provide a sense of safety in emergencies, such as an accident, when you may have to cut a seat belt or break a window to escape.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
The passenger—a 61-year-old Serbian national—had been wearing his seat belt when the window dislodged, and was partly sucked through the opening, a fellow passenger and a hospital workers’ representative told local media.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
The chairs are often dozens of feet off the ground, so the experience of riding without the bar down can feel like flying through the air on a park bench — with no seat belt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026
Front seat passengers such as Jenna often have chest, rib and breastbone injuries if wearing a seat belt because of the massive pressure from the impact.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026
“I miss everyone already,” I say, fumbling with the buckle on my seat belt.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
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.
