sewing machine

American  

noun

• sewing machines
  plural

1. any of various foot-operated or electric machines for sewing or making stitches, ranging from machines with a shuttle for a spool of thread and a needle for sewing garments to industrial machines for sewing leather, book pages together, etc.

---

sewing machine British  

noun

1. any machine designed to sew material. It is now usually driven by electric motor but is sometimes operated by a foot treadle or by hand

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• sewing machines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of sewing machine

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sewing machine

"Her sewing machine was there. She was in tears because it's broken now. So, well, it's a tragedy. But in my family everyone is alive and for that I thank God," he said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

My mother made all our clothes on a Singer sewing machine for years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

Some 45 original stockholders invested alongside Hawk, a sewing machine salesman.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

She said she used to purchase fabrics from the luxury department store Liberty London and her mother-in-law bought her a sewing machine and encouraged her to sew.

From BBC ● May 30, 2026

He didn’t feel like carrying any old sewing machine.

From "Forged by Fire" by Sharon M. Draper