bracket

1 of 2

noun

brack·​et ˈbra-kət 

1

: an overhanging member that projects from a structure (such as a wall) and is usually designed to support a vertical load or to strengthen an angle

2

: a fixture (as for holding a lamp) projecting from a wall or column

3

a

: one of a pair of marks [ ] used in writing and printing to enclose matter or in mathematics and logic as signs of aggregation

called also square bracket

b

: one of the pair of marks 〈 〉 used to enclose matter

called also angle bracket

c

: parenthesis sense 3

d

: brace sense 2b

4

: a section of a continuously numbered or graded series (such as age ranges or income levels)

5

: a pairing of opponents in an elimination tournament

bracket

2 of 2

verb

bracketed; bracketing; brackets

transitive verb

1

a

: to place within or as if within brackets

editorial comments are bracketed

news stories bracketed by commercials

b

: to eliminate from consideration

bracket off politics

c

: to extend around so as to encompass : include

test pressures … which bracket virtually the entire range of passenger-car tire pressures

—Consumer Reports

2

: to furnish or fasten with brackets

3

: to put in the same category or group

bracketed in a tie for third

4

a

: to get the range on (a target) by firing over and short

b

: to establish the limits of

bracketed the problem neatly

c

: to take photographs of at more than one exposure in order to ensure that the desired exposure is obtained

Synonyms

Noun

• category
• class
• classification
• division
• family
• genus
• grade
• group
• kind
• league
• order
• rank(s)
• rubric
• set
• species
• tier
• type

Verb

• analogize
• assimilate
• compare
• equate
• liken

Examples of bracket in a Sentence

Noun

The shelf is held up with two brackets.

There are wall brackets in the garage for the rakes and shovels.

She is taller than average for her age bracket.

He earned enough to put him in a higher tax bracket.

She is now in a lower income bracket than before.

Verb

I wouldn't exactly bracket your paintings with those of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Enacted by former President Donald Trump, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, or TCJA, brought sweeping changes for individuals, including lower tax brackets, higher standard deductions, a more generous child tax credit and a bigger estate and gift tax exemption, among others. —Kate Dore, Cfp®, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024

Outside looking in The dubious distinction of being the first team outside the top 12 looking in belongs to No. 13 SMU, who are tied with Miami atop the ACC standings and still control their own destiny of playing their way into the bracket. —David Close, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024

Verb

Poles taller than 8 feet need to be bracketed into a wall for stability, but unlike similar products, Freestyle can accommodate ceilings up to 12 feet high. —Medea Giordano, WIRED, 5 Nov. 2024

The religious clauses developed a basic framework that had existed in the empire since 1555, which tried to manage religious coexistence legally and politically, while bracketing out contentious and intractable questions of theological truth. —Michael Axworthy, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2016

Word History

Etymology

Noun

perhaps from Middle French braguette codpiece, from diminutive of brague breeches, from Old Occitan braga, from Latin braca, of Celtic origin — more at breech

First Known Use

Noun

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing bracket

• angle bracket
• bracket creep
• bracket fungus
• curly bracket
• square bracket

Kids Definition

bracket

1 of 2 noun

brack·​et ˈbrak-ət 

1

: a support for a shelf or other weight usually attached to a wall

2

: a short wall shelf

3

a

: one of a pair of marks [ ] used to enclose words or mathematical symbols to be taken together

called also square bracket

b

: one of a pair of marks 〈 〉

—used to enclose written or printed matter

called also angle bracket

4

: class entry 1 sense 3a, group

especially : one of a series of groups sorted according to income

5

: a pairing of opponents in an elimination tournament

bracket

2 of 2 verb

1

: to place within or as if within brackets

2

: to put into the same class : associate