sticking plaster

American

noun

an adhesive cloth or other material for covering and closing superficial wounds, holding bandages in place, etc.

sticking plaster British

noun

Usual US term: adhesive tape. a thin cloth with an adhesive substance on one side, used for covering slight or superficial wounds

"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 sticking plaster

First recorded in 1645–55

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.

Much of the sector "needs not just a sticking plaster but urgent corrective action", the report said.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

The long-awaited trophy was a sticking plaster covering up deep cracks.

From BBC • Jan. 9, 2026

It has been closed previously for works, which Mr Bradley describes as a "sticking plaster job".

From BBC • Oct. 27, 2025

Viewed by critics as merely a sticking plaster, there's pressure for authorities to do more.

From BBC • Jul. 22, 2025

Mother went off to get me a sticking plaster.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023