Staples — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈstā-pəl/ sta·ple

Meaning & Definition of Staples

Staples (noun)

  1. a usually U-shaped fastener
  2. a metal loop both ends of which are driven into a surface to hold the hook, hasp, or bolt of a lock, secure a rope, or fix a wire in place
  3. a small wire both ends of which are driven through layers of thin and easily penetrable material (such as paper) and usually clinched to hold the layers together
  4. a commodity for which the demand is constant
  5. something having widespread and constant use or appeal —often used with of
  6. the sustaining or principal element, substance

Staples (verb)

  1. to provide with or secure by staples

Staples (biographical name)

  1. C(live) S(taples) 1898—1963 English novelist and essayist

Staples (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts

    "reading is the very staple of a person's education"

    similar: bodies, brunts, bulks, chiefs, cores, generalities, hefts (archaic), mains, masses, weights
    related: majorities, aggregates, amounts, entireties, quanta, sums, sum totals, totalities, totals, wholes, bottoms, essences, essentialities, marrows, meats, natures, piths, quintessences, roots, souls, stuff, substances, centers, hearts, hubs, kernels, middles, nuclei, nuts, seats, affairs, arguments, burdens, cruxes, foci, gists, nubs, pitches, points, purports, matters, motifs, subjects, texts, themes, topics
    near: accessories, adjuncts, appendages, extensions, offshoots, components, constituents, elements, ingredients, divisions, parts, pieces, sections, segments, angles, aspects, facets, features, qualities, sides

Staples (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in ties, sticks

    similar: adheres, bolts, cinches, clamps, clasps, clenches, clinches, clips, glues, hangs, harnesses, hasps, laces, lashes, latches, nails, pastes, pins, plasters, rivets, screws, shackles, sticks, straps, tackles, tacks, ties, toggles, yokes, affixes, attaches, bends, fastens, fixes, coapts, connects, joins, links, unites, reaffixes, reattaches, refastens, refixes, resecures, battens, belays, buttons, does up
    opposite: detaches, undoes, unfastens, unhooks, breaks up, disconnects, disjoins, disjoints, dissevers, dissociates, disunites, divides, divorces, parts, separates, severs, splits, sunders, uncouples, unlinks, unyokes, loosens, looses, unbinds, unfixes, unlashes, unties

Related Entry: Staple (noun)

Staple is a different word from Staples. The synonyms below are for staple, not for staples.

  1. the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts

    "reading is the very staple of a person's education"

    similar: body, brunt, bulk, chief, core, generality, heft (archaic), main, mass, weight
    related: majority, aggregate, amount, entirety, quantum, sum, sum total, total, totality, whole, bottom, essence, essentiality, marrow, meat, nature, pith, quintessence, root, soul, stuff, substance, center, heart, hub, kernel, middle, nucleus, nut, seat, affair, argument, burden, crux, focus, gist, nub, pitch, point, purport, matter, motif, subject, text, theme, topic
    near: accessory, adjunct, appendage, extension, offshoot, component, constituent, element, ingredient, division, part, piece, section, segment, angle, aspect, facet, feature, quality, side

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Staples

The most common words with a similar meaning to Staples:

Archaic: hefts
bodies, brunts, bulks, chiefs, cores, generalities, mains, masses, weights, adheres, bolts, cinches, clamps, clasps, clenches, clinches, clips, glues, hangs, harnesses, hasps, laces, lashes, latches, nails, pastes, pins, plasters, rivets, screws, shackles, sticks, straps, tackles, tacks, ties, toggles, yokes, affixes, attaches

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Staples

Words with the opposite meaning of Staples:

detaches, undoes, unfastens, unhooks, breaks up, disconnects, disjoins, disjoints, dissevers, dissociates, disunites, divides, divorces, parts, separates, severs, splits, sunders, uncouples, unlinks, unyokes, loosens, looses, unbinds, unfixes, unlashes, unties

Related Words for Staples

majorities, aggregates, amounts, entireties, quanta, sums, sum totals, totalities, totals, wholes, bottoms, essences, essentialities, marrows, meats, natures, piths, quintessences, roots, souls, stuff, substances, centers, hearts, hubs, kernels, middles, nuclei, nuts, seats

Near Antonyms of Staples

accessories, adjuncts, appendages, extensions, offshoots, components, constituents, elements, ingredients, divisions, pieces, sections, segments, angles, aspects, facets, features, qualities, sides

Word Forms of Staples

Inflections: stapled, stapling

Origin & Etymology of Staples

Middle English stapel post, staple, from Old English stapol post; akin to Middle Dutch stapel step, heap, emporium, Old English steppan to step

First known use: 13th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Staples

What does "Staples" mean?

"Staples" means a usually U-shaped fastener. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a usually U-shaped fastener. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Staples"?

Other words for "Staples" include bodies, brunts, bulks, chiefs, cores, generalities, hefts and mains. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Staples" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Staples"?

There are 104 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Staples". Common alternatives include bodies, brunts, bulks, chiefs, cores, generalities, hefts, mains, masses and weights.

What is the opposite of "Staples"?

Antonyms of "Staples" include detaches, undoes, unfastens, unhooks, breaks up, disconnects, disjoins and disjoints. Near antonyms include accessories, adjuncts, appendages and extensions.

How do you use "Staples" in a sentence?

Examples of "Staples" in a sentence: "reading is the very staple of a person's education".

Is "Staples" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Staples" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Staples"?

"Staples" is pronounced /ˈstā-pəl/ and divided into syllables as sta·ple.

What is the origin of the word "Staples"?

"Staples" comes from Middle English stapel post, staple, from Old English stapol post; akin to Middle Dutch stapel step, heap, emporium, Old English steppan to step. First known use: 13th century.