: a usually U-shaped fastener: such as
a
: a metal loop both ends of which are driven into a surface to hold the hook, hasp, or bolt of a lock, secure a rope, or fix a wire in place
b
: a small wire both ends of which are driven through layers of thin and easily penetrable material (such as paper) and usually clinched to hold the layers together
c
: a usually metal surgical fastener used to hold layers of tissue together (as in the closure of an incision)
1
: a town used as a center for the sale or exportation of commodities in bulk
2
: a place of supply : source
3
: a chief commodity or production of a place
4
a
: a commodity for which the demand is constant
b
: something having widespread and constant use or appeal
c
: the sustaining or principal element : substance
5
6
a
: textile fiber (such as wool and rayon) of relatively short length that when spun and twisted forms a yarn rather than a filament
b
: the length of a piece of such textile fiber
Synonyms
Examples of staple in a Sentence
Verb
I stapled the pages in the upper left corner.
Adjective
such staple items as flour and sugar
That's a staple plot in mystery novels.
staple crops like wheat, rice, or sugarcane
Recent Examples on the Web
Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
El Tiempo Cantina, a Houston Tex-Mex staple, will soon have a home inside Choctaw Stadium in Arlington next month.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024
The Downer Theatre, a staple of the Milwaukee Film Festival since its start 16 years ago, returns to the festival's venue lineup for the first time since 2017.
—Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024
That’s why jumpsuits, with their effortless style and flattering fit, have become staples in my wardrobe.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 3 Apr. 2024
Even though the menu changes every season, the Wagyu burger is a staple.
—Kira Turnbull, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2024
The addition of pedals made steel guitar a country music staple, while blues and jazz musicians adopted the slide guitar, which utilized a similar gliding technique while holding the guitar upright.
—Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024
Hash Brown-Crust Veggie Pie Combine several brunch staples in one appealing package with a quiche featuring a potato crust made with frozen hash browns.
—Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
Fan Of Me, which affirms his personal life, blends streetwear aesthetics with athleisure staples to create unique pieces.
—Cordell Jones, Essence, 21 Mar. 2024
Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 7 Dec. 2023
Wayte was taken out in an ambulance and treated for a concussion and a head wound that had to be stapled shut.
—Rachel Weiner, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2023
The right side of her head had been shaved and stapled closed.
—Jenisha Watts, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2023
The two-month manhunt unfolded at the dawn of the internet age, the first time a Missing Person flyer was posted online, not just stapled to telephone poles and Scotch-taped to storefront windows.
—Time, 2 Oct. 2023
Right now, as Mizutani’s gallery decides how to organize the forthcoming show, many of the paintings have been haphazardly stapled to the walls.
—Kurt Soller, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2023
Beforehand, people fill the Temple with messages, writing on the walls and stapling photos and personal effects to the structure.
—Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2023
Made from durable maple hardwood, the broom’s heavy-duty head features strong styrene acrylonitrile bristles that are attached in tufts and securely stapled in place to prevent shedding.
—Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Aug. 2023
For the 1966 Watts Summer Festival, Sylvester stapled together a trove of aluminum pie tins to fashion dresses for himself and Tiki, another Disquotay.
—Paula Mejía, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2023
A.k. Whitney, Orange County Register, 2 Apr. 2024
Essie Licorice $9 View On Walmart $9 View On Target $10
There's always a need for a staple glossy black nail polish, whether for those who like a dark manicure or whenever Halloween comes around.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 25 Mar. 2024
Some of the judging criteria for the fleece includes fineness and handle, uniformity of micron and color, character, crimp and staple type, density and brightness, absence of guard hair, impurities/stains/fleece damage, lock structure and density luster.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2024
Northland’s been a staple brand for walleye anglers for decades, and the shape of their Deep-Vee Jig is one of the most unique.
—David A. Rose, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024
The Keds’ Champion silhouette, which debuted in 1916 and has since become a staple style for the brand, is modeled by the two in the snapshots.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024
Non-Stick Another staple choice in our baking supply kit is a non-stick pan, which makes baking a breeze.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2024
Collards are a superfood In warmer months and at outdoor celebrations, however, this staple dish is either completely left out or passed over in favor of sides that are easier to transport and add to your plate.
—Adrienne Cheatham, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024
The business continues to offer its staple baked goods and pastries, but now has a seasonal menu for dining.
—Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024
Noun
Jeans are a wardrobe staple for a number of reasons.
—Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
El Tiempo Cantina, a Houston Tex-Mex staple, will soon have a home inside Choctaw Stadium in Arlington next month.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024
The Downer Theatre, a staple of the Milwaukee Film Festival since its start 16 years ago, returns to the festival's venue lineup for the first time since 2017.
—Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024
That’s why jumpsuits, with their effortless style and flattering fit, have become staples in my wardrobe.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 3 Apr. 2024
Even though the menu changes every season, the Wagyu burger is a staple.
—Kira Turnbull, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2024
The addition of pedals made steel guitar a country music staple, while blues and jazz musicians adopted the slide guitar, which utilized a similar gliding technique while holding the guitar upright.
—Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024
Hash Brown-Crust Veggie Pie Combine several brunch staples in one appealing package with a quiche featuring a potato crust made with frozen hash browns.
—Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
Fan Of Me, which affirms his personal life, blends streetwear aesthetics with athleisure staples to create unique pieces.
—Cordell Jones, Essence, 21 Mar. 2024
Verb
Draped in a suit, the Migos rapper grows increasingly vexed after spending his time stapling papers.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 7 Dec. 2023
Wayte was taken out in an ambulance and treated for a concussion and a head wound that had to be stapled shut.
—Rachel Weiner, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2023
The right side of her head had been shaved and stapled closed.
—Jenisha Watts, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2023
The two-month manhunt unfolded at the dawn of the internet age, the first time a Missing Person flyer was posted online, not just stapled to telephone poles and Scotch-taped to storefront windows.
—Time, 2 Oct. 2023
Right now, as Mizutani’s gallery decides how to organize the forthcoming show, many of the paintings have been haphazardly stapled to the walls.
—Kurt Soller, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2023
Beforehand, people fill the Temple with messages, writing on the walls and stapling photos and personal effects to the structure.
—Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2023
Made from durable maple hardwood, the broom’s heavy-duty head features strong styrene acrylonitrile bristles that are attached in tufts and securely stapled in place to prevent shedding.
—Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Aug. 2023
For the 1966 Watts Summer Festival, Sylvester stapled together a trove of aluminum pie tins to fashion dresses for himself and Tiki, another Disquotay.
—Paula Mejía, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2023
Adjective
In intervening years, art therapy has become a staple treatment for improving mental health in populations that for various reasons get isolated from larger society, such as people with cognitive and mobile disabilities in care facilities, or people in prison.
—A.k. Whitney, Orange County Register, 2 Apr. 2024
Essie Licorice $9 View On Walmart $9 View On Target $10
There's always a need for a staple glossy black nail polish, whether for those who like a dark manicure or whenever Halloween comes around.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 25 Mar. 2024
Some of the judging criteria for the fleece includes fineness and handle, uniformity of micron and color, character, crimp and staple type, density and brightness, absence of guard hair, impurities/stains/fleece damage, lock structure and density luster.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2024
Northland’s been a staple brand for walleye anglers for decades, and the shape of their Deep-Vee Jig is one of the most unique.
—David A. Rose, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024
The Keds’ Champion silhouette, which debuted in 1916 and has since become a staple style for the brand, is modeled by the two in the snapshots.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024
Non-Stick Another staple choice in our baking supply kit is a non-stick pan, which makes baking a breeze.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2024
Collards are a superfood In warmer months and at outdoor celebrations, however, this staple dish is either completely left out or passed over in favor of sides that are easier to transport and add to your plate.
—Adrienne Cheatham, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024
The business continues to offer its staple baked goods and pastries, but now has a seasonal menu for dining.
—Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'staple.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English stapel post, staple, from Old English stapol post; akin to Middle Dutch stapel step, heap, emporium, Old English steppan to step
Noun (2)
Middle English, from Anglo-French estaple, from Middle Dutch stapel emporium
First Known Use
Noun (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of staple was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing staple
Dictionary Entries Near staple
Cite this Entry
“Staple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/staple. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
staple
1 of 4 noun
sta·ple
ˈstā-pəl 
: a usually U-shaped fastener: as
a
: a piece of metal with sharp points to be driven into a surface to hold something (as a hook, rope, or wire)
b
: a piece of thin wire that is driven through papers and bent over at the ends to fasten them together or driven through thin material to fasten it to something else
c
: a usually metal surgical fastener used to hold layers of tissue together (as in the closing of a wound)
staple
3 of 4 noun1
: a chief product of business or farming of a place
2
a
: something in widespread and constant use or demand
b
: the chief part of something
potatoes are the staple of their diet
3
4
: textile fiber (as wool or rayon) suitable for spinning into yarn
staple
4 of 4 adjective1
: used, needed, or enjoyed constantly usually by many individuals
2
: produced regularly or in large quantities
staple crops such as wheat and rice
3
: principal entry 1, chief
bamboo is the staple diet of the panda
Etymology
Noun
Old English stapol "post"
Noun
Middle English staple "a major market town, place for exporting"; of Dutch origin
More from Merriam-Webster on staple
Nglish: Translation of staple for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of staple for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share