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Synonyms

shoelace

American  
[shoo-leys] / ˈʃuˌleɪs /

noun

  1. a string or lace for fastening a shoe.

shoelace British  
/ ˈʃuːˌleɪs /

noun

  1. a cord or lace for fastening shoes

"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

Etymology

Origin of shoelace

First recorded in 1640–50; shoe + lace

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.

Pulling a shoelace through a narrow hole becomes uneven if the lace tangles, and scientists assumed DNA behaved in the same way.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

Accessories—anything from shoelace charms to glitter freckles to decor for your decor—give consumers ways to update their look and express themselves at a fraction of the cost.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025

Yamamoto gave up his only run after a minor wardrobe malfunction — a broken shoelace that he returned to the dugout to replace — caused a delay before the start of the second inning.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2024

He gets lost so often that she attaches a tag to his shoelace with her phone number.

From New York Times • Nov. 14, 2023

I couldn’t tie my stupid shoelace because my fingers were too numb from the cold.

From "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher

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.