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

Or is it simply a short-term tactical move, a sticking plaster to get the PM through the next news cycle?

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

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

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

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

From Salon • May 13, 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