earplug

earplug — noun

1. a small soft object made of foam, wax, or silicone that people push into their e

1.nounB1
Definition

a small soft object made of foam, wax, or silicone that people push into their ears to block loud sounds or to keep water out

Example

Rin wears foam earplugs whenever she goes to concerts to protect her hearing.

collocation: foam earplugs / wear earplugs

Before his first big swim meet, Christopher put soft wax earplugs into his ears.

collocation: wax earplugs / put earplugs into ears

Common collocations
  • foam / wax / silicone earplugs
  • wear / put in / insert earplugs
  • take out / remove earplugs
  • a pair of earplugs
  • disposable earplugs
  • earplugs for sleeping / swimming / concerts

Grammar Patterns

a pair of earplugs

earplugs + verb

Usage Note

Foam earplugs are the most common type — they must be rolled into a thin cylinder before inserting, then they expand inside the ear canal. Earplugs are almost always used in the plural (a pair of earplugs).

Common Mistakes

I put my earplugs in to listen to music.
I put my earplugs in before entering the noisy factory.
earplugs block sound, not play it. Use earphones or earbuds for listening to audio.
I need an earplug for the swimming pool.
I need earplugs for the swimming pool.
earplugs are usually sold and used in pairs, even if only one ear needs protection.

Word family

  • earplugs
    noun (plural)B1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Earplugs, earmuffs, ear defenders, and earphones all relate to the ears but work differently. Earplugs are small inserts that go inside the ear canal — they are portable, inexpensive, and commonly used for sleeping, swimming, or concerts. Earmuffs are padded cups worn over the ears for warmth, not noise protection. Ear defenders look similar to earmuffs but are specifically designed to block loud noise in industrial settings; they are bulkier and offer stronger protection than basic earplugs. Earphones (or earbuds) fit into the outer ear but produce sound rather than blocking it. For example, a factory worker might wear earplugs under ear defenders for double protection, while a commuter on the train wears earphones to listen to a podcast.

earmuffsear defendersearphones

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • a pair of earplugs
  • earplugs for sleeping
  • foam earplugs
  • wax earplugs
  • silicone earplugs
  • disposable earplugs
  • reusable earplugs

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle DutchEnglish

Formed by combining two Old English / Germanic roots: 'ear' (from Old English ēare, meaning the organ of hearing) and 'plug' (from Middle Dutch plugge, meaning a peg or stopper used to block a hole). The compound word 'earplug' first appeared in the late 1800s, when people began manufacturing small devices specifically designed to block the ear canal.