Illustration of fold
- fold 4a
folded; folding; folds
1
: to lay one part over another part of
fold a letter
2
: to reduce the length or bulk of by doubling over
fold a tent
3
: to clasp together : entwine
fold the hands
4
: to clasp or enwrap closely : embrace
5
a
: to incorporate (a food ingredient) into a mixture by repeated gentle overturnings without stirring or beating
b
: to incorporate closely
6
a
: to concede defeat by withdrawing (one's cards) from play (as in poker)
b
: to bring to an end
7
: to bend (something, such as a layer of rock) into folds
1
: to become doubled or pleated
2
: to fail completely : collapse
especially
: to go out of business
3
: to fold one's cards (as in poker)
1
: a part doubled or laid over another part : pleat
2
: a crease made by folding something (such as a newspaper)
3
: something that is folded together or that enfolds
4
a
: a bend or flexure produced in rock by forces operative after the depositing or consolidation of the rock
b
chiefly British
: an undulation in the landscape
5
: a margin apparently formed by the doubling upon itself of a flat anatomical structure (such as a membrane)
1
a
: a group of people or institutions that share a common faith, belief, activity, or enthusiasm
His former colleagues would be glad to welcome him back into the fold.
b
: a flock of sheep
2
: an enclosure for sheep
folded; folding; folds
: to pen up or confine (sheep) in a fold
1
: multiplied by (a specified number) : times
—in adjectives
a sixfold increase
and adverbsrepay you tenfold
2
: having (so many) parts
threefold aspect of the problem
Synonyms
Examples of fold in a Sentence
Noun (1)
ready to welcome their old Liberal friend back into the fold
Verb (2)
fold the blanket so that it will fit inside the trunk
the business folded after just two months
Suffix
It will repay you tenfold.
Recent Examples on the Web
Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 11 Feb. 2025
Pressure-tested by his audacious assault on the civil services, those institutions instantly folded.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2025
Karl Ove Knausgaard, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
The hidden helix is placed at the top of the ear, beneath its fold.
—Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 25 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for fold 
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Verb
The OnePlus Open is a sleek, lightweight, foldable phone with a hinge that's designed with fewer parts and premium materials, feels sturdy, and folds flat, enhancing usability.
—Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 11 Feb. 2025
Pressure-tested by his audacious assault on the civil services, those institutions instantly folded.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2025
Noun
As in so many of Freud’s nudes, the attention is directed toward the skin, all its surfaces, folds, and curves, and still, fifty years on, there is something shockingly direct about them, devoid of beautification, naked the way animals are naked, but with human bashfulness intact.
—Karl Ove Knausgaard, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
The hidden helix is placed at the top of the ear, beneath its fold.
—Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 25 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for fold
Dictionary Entries Near fold
Cite this Entry
“Fold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fold. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fold
1 of 5 noun1
: a pen for sheep
2
: a group of people with a common faith or interest
fold
2 of 5 verb
: to shut up in a fold
fold
3 of 5 verb1
: to lay one part over or against another part
fold a letter
birds folding their wings
2
: to clasp together
fold the hands
4
: to bend (as a layer of rock) into folds
5
: to add (a food ingredient) to a mixture by gently and repeatedly lifting one part over another
6
: to become doubled or pleated
7
: to fail completely
the business folded
fold
4 of 5 noun1
: a doubling or folding over
2
: a part doubled or laid over another part
3
: a bend produced in rock
-fold
5 of 5 suffixˌfōld,
ˈfōld
1
: multiplied by (a specified number) : times
—in adjectives
a twelvefold increase
and adverbsrepay you tenfold
2
: having (so many) parts
a threefold problem
Etymology
Noun
Old English falod "pen for sheep"
Verb
Old English fealdan "to fold, make double thickness"
Suffix
Old English -feald (suffix) "being increased (so many) times"
Medical Definition
fold
1 of 2 intransitive verb
: to become doubled or pleated
fold
2 of 2 noun
: a margin apparently formed by the doubling upon itself of a flat anatomical structure (as a membrane)
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