latched; latching; latches
1
: to lay hold with or as if with the hands or arms
—used with on or onto
2
: to associate oneself intimately and often artfully
—used with on or onto
latched onto a rich widow
: any of various devices in which mating mechanical parts engage to fasten but usually not to lock something:
a
: a fastener (as for a door) consisting essentially of a pivoted bar that falls into a notch
b
: a fastener (as for a door) in which a spring slides a bolt into a hole
also
: night latch
latched; latching; latches
: to make fast with or as if with a latch
Examples of latch in a Sentence
Noun
He lifted the latch and opened the gate.
I heard her key turn in the latch.
Recent Examples on the Web
Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2025
There was a lot of evidence of what Dorit did wrong for Sutton to latch onto.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2025
Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
There’s a latch in place of a magnetic cover and the Apple Pencil slot sits on the outside.
—Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for latch
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Verb
For that reason, fans also have latched onto a theory that Kendrick signaled her support for Baldoni, her co-star’s nemesis, while praising the work of movie directors before presenting an award at the British Academy Film Awards last week.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2025
There was a lot of evidence of what Dorit did wrong for Sutton to latch onto.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
Secure latches: Some travel cases have a zipper to securely close the case — most commonly on soft-sided cases.
—Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
There’s a latch in place of a magnetic cover and the Apple Pencil slot sits on the outside.
—Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for latch
Cite this Entry
“Latch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/latch. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
latch
1 of 3 verb1
: to get hold
2
: to attach oneself
latch
2 of 3 noun
: a catch (as a spring bolt) that holds a door or gate closed
latch
3 of 3 verb
: to catch or fasten by means of a latch
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