toe box

noun

plural toe boxes
1
: the part of footwear enclosing the toes
Most high-fashion heels have a narrow, pointy toe box that squeezes the toes together …—Food & Fitness Advisor
2
ballet : the reinforced toe enclosure of a pointe shoe
… the hard oval bottom of the toe box which the ballerina will balance on.—Kevin Conley
The toe box of the shoe usually is made of burlap and paper soaked with glue. … There's a small window of time before the shoe's toe box becomes too soft to use. Professional dancers might even go through more than one pair during a performance.—Eileen Brady

Examples of toe box 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.
Pleating around the toe box adds a modern, trendy feel to an otherwise classic silhouette. — Genevieve Cepeda, InStyle, 21 Oct. 2026 New Balance also created the brand-new Ellipse franchise with a wider than-average toe box as one of its selling points. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026 Ugg Classic Ultra Mini, $149 (was $165) Too-narrow toe boxes, stiff materials, and unsupportive footbeds can make finding a reliable pair of comfy boots feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. — Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2026 These shoes also feature a wide toe box, which reduces toe compression and improves overall comfort. — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for toe box

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of toe box was in 1897

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Cite this Entry

“Toe box.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toe%20box. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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