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.

"They're using a sticking plaster on something that needs major surgery. It's a waste of money."

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

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

From BBC • Jul. 22, 2025

“Medical explanations have become the sticking plaster we use to help us manage that disappointment.”

From Salon • May 13, 2025

"This is another sticking plaster over something that really needs to be dealt with."

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2025

Her arm was out of the sling and she had a band of sticking plaster round her wrist.

From "1984" by George Orwell

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