bracket
BRA-kiht
Bracket (noun) means a support fixed to a wall or frame that holds up a shelf or other object. Example: “He screwed a metal bracket into the wall to hold the TV.”
noun
1
A support fixed to a wall or frame that holds up a shelf or other object.
"He screwed a metal bracket into the wall to hold the TV."
"The bookshelf rests on two sturdy brackets."
"The old shelf fell down because one bracket had come loose from the wall."
2
One of a pair of punctuation marks — such as ( ) or [ ] — used to enclose extra information or set apart a section of text or a mathematical expression.
"She added a clarifying note in brackets."
"Square brackets are often used to insert an editor's comment into a quotation."
"Remember to close every bracket in the formula, or the answer will be wrong."
3
A category or range that something falls into, especially for income, age, or a tournament.
"Her salary put her in a higher tax bracket this year."
"The team advanced to the next round of the tournament bracket."
"Most of the viewers fall into the eighteen to thirty age bracket."
verb
1
To group things together as belonging to the same category.
"Critics tend to bracket the two novels together, though they're quite different."
"Reviewers often bracket the band with others from the same town."
"The survey brackets people by age, so older readers are counted separately."
How to use bracket
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA bracket can be a physical support, a punctuation mark used in pairs, or a category/range something is grouped into (like a tax bracket or tournament bracket).
Common mistake
In American English "parenthesis" usually means the curved ( ) mark, while "bracket" often refers to the square [ ] mark — in British English, "bracket" more commonly covers the curved ( ) mark too.
UK vs US
British English speakers often call ( ) "brackets"; American English speakers usually call these "parentheses" and reserve "brackets" for [ ].
Common pairings
tax bracket
in brackets
wall bracket
age bracket
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Word forms
- Plural
- brackets
- Third person singular
- brackets
- Past tense
- bracketed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He screwed a metal _____ into the wall to hold the TV.
Etymology
From an older word for the fly-opening on a pair of breeches, ultimately from Latin braca ("trousers") — the shape of the punctuation mark was compared to that opening.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for bracket
See all rhymes for bracket →Frequently asked questions
What does “bracket” mean?
The word “bracket” means a support fixed to a wall or frame that holds up a shelf or other object. In plain terms, a bracket can be a physical support, a punctuation mark used in pairs, or a category/range something is grouped into (like a tax bracket or tournament bracket).
How do you pronounce “bracket”?
“Bracket” is pronounced BRA-kiht (/ˈbɹækɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “bracket” in a sentence?
Here is “bracket” used in a sentence: “He screwed a metal bracket into the wall to hold the TV.”
What is another word for “bracket”?
Words with a similar meaning to “bracket” include parentheses and parens.
What part of speech is “bracket”?
Depending on how it is used, “bracket” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “bracket” come from?
The word “bracket” comes from Latin. From an older word for the fly-opening on a pair of breeches, ultimately from Latin braca ("trousers") — the shape of the punctuation mark was compared to that opening.
Is “bracket” a common word?
“Bracket” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “bracket” have?
“Bracket” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a support fixed to a wall or frame that holds up a shelf or other object.
What is the difference between round brackets and square brackets?
Round brackets, also called parentheses ( ), are typically used to add extra or clarifying information within a sentence. Square brackets [ ] are more often used to insert editorial notes or clarifications into quoted text, or in mathematical expressions to group values, especially when parentheses are already in use.
What does it mean to be in a certain tax bracket or age bracket?
Being in a certain tax or age bracket means falling within a defined category or range, such as an income range that determines the tax rate applied, or an age range used for grouping purposes. This use of bracket refers to a category or range something falls into.
What is a tournament bracket?
A tournament bracket is a chart showing the category or range of matchups in a competition, mapping out which teams or players face each other and how they progress toward a final round. It uses the same underlying sense of bracket as a range or grouping structure.
Can bracket be used as a verb?
Yes, to bracket something means to group it together as belonging to the same category, such as bracketing several related issues together for discussion.
