1
: a fastening for two loose ends that is attached to one and holds the other by a catch
2
: an ornamental device that suggests a buckle
3
archaic
: a crisp curl
buckled; buckling
ˈbə-k(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to fasten with a buckle
2
: to prepare with vigor
3
: to cause to bend, give way, or crumple
1
: to become fastened with a buckle
2
: to apply oneself with vigor
—usually used with down
buckle down to the job
3
: to bend or move usually under the influence of some external agency
wheat buckling in the wind
4
: collapse
the props buckled under the strain
5
: to give way : yield
he buckled under pressure
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Word History of Buckle
The literal meaning of Latin word buccula was “little cheek,” but buccula was also the name for the part of a helmet that protects the cheek. Its medieval French descendant, bouclé, was the word for the boss of a shield, which looks a little like a small cheek on the face of the shield. The use of the word was later extended to belt fasteners. In this sense, the word was borrowed into English.
Synonyms
Examples of buckle in a Sentence
Verb
She buckled the horses into their harness.
The pavement buckled in the heat.
Recent Examples on the Web
Martino Carrera, WWD, 4 Nov. 2024
This black belt has a timeless, luxe gold Western-style buckle.
—Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2024
Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 30 Oct. 2024
Extreme heat and rain can cause major infrastructure damage, ranging from buckling roads and warped railroad lines to overflowing storm drains.
—Alissa Widman Neese, Axios, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for buckle 
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Wooseok attended the Prada men’s spring 2025 show in Milan last June, donning a dark look composed of tailored pants and a thick woolen knit, accented by a white leather belt with a tone-on-tone buckle placed on the side, a white shirt and tie.
—Martino Carrera, WWD, 4 Nov. 2024
This black belt has a timeless, luxe gold Western-style buckle.
—Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
Not Sitting in Your Seat With Your Seatbelt Buckled
Airlines reserve the right to remove passengers who can't safely buckle into their seats.
—Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 30 Oct. 2024
Extreme heat and rain can cause major infrastructure damage, ranging from buckling roads and warped railroad lines to overflowing storm drains.
—Alissa Widman Neese, Axios, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for buckle
Dictionary Entries Near buckle
Cite this Entry
“Buckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buckle. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
buckle
1 of 3 noun
buck·le
ˈbək-əl
: a fastening device which is attached to one end of a belt or strap and through which the other end is passed and held
buckle
3 of 3 noun
: a product of buckling
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