latched; latching; latches
1
: to lay hold with or as if with the hands or arms
—used with on or onto
2
: to associate oneself intimately and often artfully
—used with on or onto
latched onto a rich widow
: any of various devices in which mating mechanical parts engage to fasten but usually not to lock something:
a
: a fastener (as for a door) consisting essentially of a pivoted bar that falls into a notch
b
: a fastener (as for a door) in which a spring slides a bolt into a hole
also
: night latch
latched; latching; latches
: to make fast with or as if with a latch
Examples of latch in a Sentence
Noun
He lifted the latch and opened the gate.
I heard her key turn in the latch.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2025
Those rumors always seemed to be a matter of different styles and the institution’s dislike for change, but people have latched onto staff changes now to wonder if, perhaps, there was any truth to the original stories in the first place.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 28 Oct. 2025
Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
Goldberg had to physically break through the latch to find Greenberg.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for latch
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Verb
TikTok users quickly latched onto the mashup’s bizarre dichotomy and used the accompanying sound, which now soundtracks over 726,000 creates, to showcase everything from Halloween costumes to seemingly oppositional vibes.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2025
Those rumors always seemed to be a matter of different styles and the institution’s dislike for change, but people have latched onto staff changes now to wonder if, perhaps, there was any truth to the original stories in the first place.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
All four sides of the lid have locking latches that can make the container completely airtight at the press of a button.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
Goldberg had to physically break through the latch to find Greenberg.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for latch
Cite this Entry
“Latch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/latch. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
latch
1 of 3 verb1
: to get hold
2
: to attach oneself
latch
2 of 3 noun
: a catch (as a spring bolt) that holds a door or gate closed
latch
3 of 3 verb
: to catch or fasten by means of a latch
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