baling wire

noun

: wire originally designed to bind bales of hay or straw : haywire
… were secured … by baling wire twisted through the padlock hasps.— Robert A. Caro
—often used figuratively
Injury-riddled Michigan State might be considered a powerhouse, except its team is being held together with chewing gum and baling wire.— Lynn Zinse

Examples of baling wire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The move bolsters a Dodgers pitching rotation that was held together with baling wire and glue through two rounds of playoffs and the World Series. — Dan Freedman, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024 For a fractious coalition that at times seems to be held together with spit, baling wire, and old memories of Barack Obama, the Democratic Party has a remarkably singular message: Donald Trump is an existential threat to the country. — Bryan Walsh, Vox, 1 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of baling wire was in 1860

Rhymes for baling wire

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Browse Nearby Words

baling twine
baling wire
balintawak
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Cite this Entry

“Baling wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baling%20wire. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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