seat belt

American  

Or seatbelt

noun

1. a belt or strap in an automobile, airplane, etc., fastened around or sometimes diagonally across the midsection to keep the person safely secured, as during a sudden stop.

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seat belt British  

noun

1. Also called: safety belt.  a belt or strap worn in a vehicle to restrain forward motion in the event of a collision

2. a similar belt or strap worn in an aircraft at takeoff and landing and in rough weather

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Etymology

Origin of seat belt

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

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

To remedy the issue, Rivian released an over-the-air software update that will automatically detect seat belt misuse.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2025

Rivian is recalling 34,824 vehicles to fix a damaged seat belt pretensioner cable.

From Barron's • Dec. 3, 2025

You are in the passenger seat with no seat belt, and the dashboard lights are blinking like they’re trying to tell you something in Morse code, which you never learned.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 2, 2025

I threw off my seat belt, leaned between the headrests of the brown vinyl bench seat, and slapped my hand on the dashboard.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

Related Words

• safety belt