matchstick

noun

match·​stick ˈmach-ˌstik How to pronounce matchstick (audio)
1
: a slender piece especially of wood from which a match is made
2
: something resembling a matchstick especially in slenderness
cut a carrot into matchsticks

Examples of matchstick in a Sentence

Cut the peppers into pieces the size of matchsticks.
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.
Move two matchsticks to make this equation correct. — Scientific American, 16 May 2026 Julia snuck some matchstick carrots into the potato mixture, then blew my socks off with a punchy, springy topping of feta, mint, dill, and chives. — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 24 June 2026 The piece quite remarkably resembles a matchstick, replete with a flame that moves independently of the gold stick. — Kyle Roderick, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 Little matchsticks lie flat on its surface, and then suddenly pop up and jitter across its surface, only to fall again, in seeming exhaustion. — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for matchstick

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of matchstick was in 1791

Rhymes for matchstick

See All Rhymes for matchstick

Browse Nearby Words

match-splint
matchstick
matchup
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Matchstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/matchstick. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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