fasten
verb
fas·ten ˈfa-sᵊn 
fastened; fastening ˈfas-niŋ
ˈfa-sᵊn-iŋ
transitive verb
1
a
: to attach especially by pinning, tying, or nailing
b
: to make fast and secure
c
: to fix firmly or securely
d
: to secure against opening
2
: to fix or set steadily
fastened her attention on the main problem
3
: to take a firm grip with
the dog fastened its teeth in the shoe
4
a
: to attach (oneself) persistently and usually objectionably
b
: to place forcefully : impose
fastened the blame on the wrong person
intransitive verb
1
: to become fast or fixed
2
a
: to take a firm grip or hold
b
: to focus attention
fastener
ˈfas-nər
noun ˈfa-sᵊn-ər
Synonyms
- affix
- attach
- bend
- fix
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
fastening clothes on a clothesline He fastened the dog's leash to a post and went into the store. two boards fastened together by nails a decorative clasp that could be used to fasten a cape or cloak a shoe that fastens with a buckle This dress fastens in the back. She twisted her hair into a bun and fastened it with bobby pins. Make sure the lid is tightly fastened. The lock was so damaged it wouldn't fasten. He fastened his hands on my arm and wouldn't let go. See More
Recent Examples on the Web While pulling the string taught, fasten the wood in place by driving a screw through the drywall into the wood on each side of the hole. 
Bradley Ford, Popular Mechanics, 2 May 2022 Strips of leather wound around its thighs fasten slender clay fragments in place, a string of wooden beads dangle from its belt. Murray Whyte, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Aug. 2022 The nearly backless piece features a triangle cutout at the bust and thin straps that fasten at the back. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 27 July 2022 Use double-sided tape or hook-and-loop strips to fasten a power strip to the frame of an elevated bed for easy access. Leanne Italile, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2022 Secure the pieces together at the center and fasten them to the roof base with 1½-inch screws. Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2022 Similarly, fasten all Velcro closures on items like glove cuffs and waistbands of baggy shorts. Joe Lindsey, Outside Online, 17 July 2021 The portable frame has metal snaps that can be pressed to quickly fasten the screen to the frame, and detachable legs that can be put together without tools. Kathleen Willcox, Popular Mechanics, 28 June 2022 Use heavy-duty carabiners or S-hooks to fasten the hammock ends to the eyebolts. Abigail Bailey, Good Housekeeping, 10 June 2022 See More
Bradley Ford, Popular Mechanics, 2 May 2022 Strips of leather wound around its thighs fasten slender clay fragments in place, a string of wooden beads dangle from its belt. Murray Whyte, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Aug. 2022 The nearly backless piece features a triangle cutout at the bust and thin straps that fasten at the back. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 27 July 2022 Use double-sided tape or hook-and-loop strips to fasten a power strip to the frame of an elevated bed for easy access. Leanne Italile, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2022 Secure the pieces together at the center and fasten them to the roof base with 1½-inch screws. Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2022 Similarly, fasten all Velcro closures on items like glove cuffs and waistbands of baggy shorts. Joe Lindsey, Outside Online, 17 July 2021 The portable frame has metal snaps that can be pressed to quickly fasten the screen to the frame, and detachable legs that can be put together without tools. Kathleen Willcox, Popular Mechanics, 28 June 2022 Use heavy-duty carabiners or S-hooks to fasten the hammock ends to the eyebolts. Abigail Bailey, Good Housekeeping, 10 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English fastnen, from Old English fæstnian to make fast; akin to Old High German festinōn to make fast, Old English fæst fast
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Phrases Containing fasten
Kids Definition
fasten
verb
fas·ten ˈfa-sᵊn
fastened; fastening
1
: to attach or join by or as if by pinning, tying, or nailing
She fastened the papers together.
2
: to make firm and secure
Fasten your seat belt.
3
: to become fixed or joined
The dress fastens in the back.
fasten
verb
1
as in to attach
to cause (something) to hold to another use this paper clip to fasten your picture to the application form Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- attach
- affix
- tie
- glue
- connect
- strap
- clip
- bend
- screw
- adhere
- pin
- rivet
- hang
- clamp
- harness
- fix
- latch
- stick
- clasp
- link
- staple
- clench
- cinch
- yoke
- toggle
- clinch
- shackle
- tack
- tackle
- paste
- lash
- nail
- bolt
- unite
- plaster
- button
- refasten
- lace
- hasp
- join
- reattach
- resecure
- batten
- coapt
- refix
- belay
- reaffix
- do up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unfasten
- detach
- undo
- unhook
- split
- sever
- divide
- dissociate
- separate
- loosen
- disconnect
- uncouple
- disunite
- part
- divorce
- break up
- loose
- sunder
- untie
- dissever
- disjoin
- unyoke
- unlink
- unbind
- disjoint
- unfix
- unlash
2
as in to secure
to put securely in place or in a desired position don't forget to fasten all the lines on your tent Synonyms & Similar Words
- secure
- clamp
- anchor
- hitch
- catch
- moor
- fix
- set
- imbed
- entrench
- wedge
- embed
- intrench
- ingrain
- stuff
- engrain
- lodge
- implant
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unfasten
- loosen
- loose
- pull
- extract
- unloose
- unloosen
- tear (out)
- unfix
- pry
- uproot
- yank
- prize
- wrest
- root (out)
3
as in to rivet
to fix (as one's attention) steadily toward a central objective if you could fasten your attention on one task for more than a minute, you just might get something done Synonyms & Similar Words
- rivet
- focus
- concentrate
- center
- train
- aim
- point
- nail
- direct
- heed
- attend
- set
- home (in on)
- level
- zero (in on)
- mind
- hone in (on)
- refocus
- fixate (on)
- obsess (over)
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of fasten are affix, attach, and fix. While all these words mean "to make something stay firmly in place," fasten implies an action such as tying, buttoning, nailing, locking, or otherwise securing.
fasten the reins to a post
In some situations, the words affix and fasten are roughly equivalent. However, affix implies an imposing of one thing on another by gluing, impressing, or nailing.
affix your address label here
Although the words attach and fasten have much in common, attach suggests a connecting or uniting by a bond, link, or tie in order to keep things together.
attach the W-2 form here
While the synonyms fix and fasten are close in meaning, fix usually implies a driving in, implanting, or embedding.
fixed the stake in the ground
- meet with
- meet with little success
- meet with one's approval
- meet-cute
- meet-cutes
- meet-up
- meet-ups
- meeter
- meeters
- meetest
- meethelp
- meethelper
- meeting
- meeting cute
- meeting engagement
- meeting of minds
- meeting rail
- meeting seed
- meeting up with
- meeting-cute
- meetinger
- meetinghouse
- meetinghouses
- meetings
- meetings of minds