putty

1 of 2

noun

put·​ty ˈpə-tē How to pronounce putty (audio)
plural putties
1
a
: a doughlike material typically made of whiting and linseed oil that is used especially to fasten glass in window frames and to fill crevices in woodwork
b
: any of various substances resembling putty in appearance, consistency, or use
2
: a light brownish-gray to light grayish-brown color
3
: one who is easily manipulated
is putty in her hands
puttyless adjective
puttylike adjective

putty

2 of 2

verb

puttied; puttying

transitive verb

: to use putty on or apply putty to

Examples of putty 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.
Noun
Leave the holes open for a few days, then plug them with caulking, wood putty, or a wooden dowel and wood glue. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 7 June 2026 Quick and easy cleanup is essential, and this fun putty makes all the difference. — Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 May 2026
Verb
The framing is a little flabby, as the flashbacks slowly putty in how the outspoken woman might have become a murder target. — Brian Lowry, CNN, 28 Apr. 2022 But that is not the only reason Yulia Kapustienko comes to the fire department every morning to putty the walls. — Hanna Arhirova, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2022 See All Example Sentences for putty

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French potée potter's glaze, literally, potful, from Old French, from pot pot — more at pottage

First Known Use

Noun

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1719, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of putty was in 1665

Phrases Containing putty

Rhymes for putty

See All Rhymes for putty

Browse Nearby Words

put two and two together
putty
puttyblower
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Putty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/putty. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

putty

1 of 2 noun
put·​ty ˈpət-ē How to pronounce putty (audio)
plural putties
: a soft cement (as for holding glass in a window frame)

putty

2 of 2 verb
puttied; puttying
: to cement or seal up with putty

More from Merriam-Webster on putty

Nglish: Translation of putty for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about putty

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All