strap
Americannoun
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straps
plural
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a narrow strip of flexible material, especially leather, as for fastening or holding things together.
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a looped band by which an item may be held, pulled, lifted, etc., as a bootstrap or a ring that standing passengers may hold on to in a bus, subway, or the like.
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a strop for a razor.
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a long, narrow object or piece of something; strip; band.
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an ornamental strip or band.
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Machinery. a shallow metal fitting surrounding and retaining other parts, as on the end of a rod.
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Nautical, Machinery. strop.
verb (used with object)
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straps,
present (3rd person singular)
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strapped,
past participle, past
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strapping
present participle
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to fasten or secure with a strap or straps.
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to fasten (a thing) around something in the manner of a strap.
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to sharpen on a strap or strop.
to strap a razor.
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to beat or flog with a strap.
noun
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a long strip of leather or similar material, for binding trunks, baggage, or other objects
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a strip of leather or similar material used for carrying, lifting, or holding
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a loop of leather, rubber, etc, suspended from the roof in a bus or train for standing passengers to hold on to
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a razor strop
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commerce a triple option on a security or commodity consisting of one put option and two call options at the same price and for the same period Compare strip 2
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derogatory a shameless or promiscuous woman
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a beating with a strap as a punishment
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short for shoulder strap
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informal to achieve one's full potential or become fully effective
verb
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to tie or bind with a strap
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to beat with a strap
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to sharpen with a strap or strop
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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understrapnoun
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restrapverb (used with object)
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understrapverb (used with object)
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straplikeadjective
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strappableadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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strapsimple
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strapssimple
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have strappedperfect
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has strappedperfect
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am strappingprogressive
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are strappingprogressive
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is strappingprogressive
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have been strappingperfect progressive
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has been strappingperfect progressive
Past
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strappedsimple
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had strappedperfect
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was strappingprogressive
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were strappingprogressive
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had been strappingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of strap
First recorded in 1565–75; variant of strop
Explanation
A strip of material used to hold something in place is a strap, like your bathing suit's shoulder straps, the strap on your book bag, or the strap of your seatbelt. As a verb, strap means "to secure with straps": "Let me strap my backpack on before I climb on your motorcycle." Standing passengers on buses and subways are sometimes called straphangers, named for the habit of grabbing the leather or webbed straps that once commonly hung from above. Some modes of transportation still have these straps, though they've increasingly been replaced with poles and handles.
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.
See Examples For:
Santner was convinced the ball hit his armguard, but Stokes pointed to the strap of the batter's glove - in the Laws enough for him to be given out - and the third umpire agreed.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
“We’re asking airmen to strap into jets that their grandfathers, fathers and now they are flying, and it is time for a reset,” said Doug Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
“Ragin’ ” Al, a low-ranked fighter known for decent grappling and heavy hitting, had no business fighting for the lightweight strap.
From Slate ● Jun. 14, 2026
During an indoor cycling workout, I tested the wearables against a chest strap that directly senses electrical heart signals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
The thick leather rifle strap he was wearing stopped the poisoned arrow from tearing into him.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
General contractor Enrique Valdez of Azteca 111 Builder Inc. was tasked with cutting the ratchet straps securing Pinky, seemingly putting an end to the bird’s reign.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
Others stayed put, waiting days more to get their hands on the product, while independent watch connoisseurs started working furiously to make straps that can turn the pocket watch into a more traditional wristpiece.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
Right beside the main entrance, a sculpture of an origami deer cast in concrete hangs suspended on thick straps from a crane.
From BBC ● May 6, 2026
Sargent later repainted Gautreau with both straps fixed to her shoulders — a needless compromise between the artist and those who wielded the power to dictate beauty.
From Salon ● May 6, 2026
I grip the straps of my backpack hard.
From "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender
Sitting in line with the gear strapped to their backs for the training exercise, many know they are unlikely to ever do one in a real warzone.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
A scene-stealing character that requires massive talent and stamina, the role also calls for the actor to handle live fire as his hands are strapped to a pair of heavy prop candlesticks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Within seven days, she was back in the dance studio, rehearsing for forthcoming performances with a large bandage strapped across her stomach.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
The company ground back, funding real-estate investment trust Service Properties Trust and data-center company Applied Digital, as well as many companies strapped for cash.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Walking along the dikes with empty pockets and everything on their packs tightly strapped, they moved almost silently over the soft dirt.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
And even though strapping on a fitness tracker already means accepting—and trusting—a company’s health rules, Tanwar wants full control over his own data to the extent possible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
“If they had let us in sooner, we could have really helped save lives,” said Michael Saavedra, a strapping 6-foot-5-inch Miami Beach firefighter who is the team’s director.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
She wore strapping on her left thigh during the second match - her semi-final win over American teenager Iva Jovic.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
After signing a waiver, strapping on a helmet and paying a $30 fee, audience members can ride along in the passenger seat of a professional driver’s drift car.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
‘One time in the middle of a play-off game I had to splint a quarterback’s leg with nothing but tree branches and strapping tape.’
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
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.
