fasten

fasten — verb

1. to shut or lock something firmly in place so that it stays put and cannot come o

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to shut or lock something firmly in place so that it stays put and cannot come open; or to become fixed in this way through its own design

Example

Maeve fastened her seatbelt before the car pulled away.

collocation: fasten + seatbelt

The wooden gate fastens with a simple latch on the inside.

intransitive use: gate + fastens + with

Common collocations
  • fasten a seatbelt
  • fasten a coat
  • fasten a gate
  • fasten tightly
  • fasten securely
Synonyms
  • secure

    Slightly more formal; implies making something safe against coming loose or being taken

  • lock

    Specifically involves a mechanism such as a key or a code; narrower meaning

  • close

    More general — can mean shutting without necessarily making secure

Antonyms
  • unfasten

    The direct opposite — to open or release something that was fastened

  • loosen

    To make something less tight without fully opening it

Grammar Patterns

fasten + object

object + fasten + adverb

Usage Note

Can be used transitively (fasten something) or intransitively (something fastens). The intransitive form often describes how an object closes or locks — for example, 'the bag fastens with a zipper.'

Common Mistakes

She tightened her seatbelt before driving.
She fastened her seatbelt before driving.
'Tighten' means to make an already-fastened belt tighter; 'fasten' means to close and buckle it in the first place.
She closed the necklace around her neck.
She fastened the necklace around her neck.
'Close' is for doors and containers; 'fasten' is the correct verb for jewellery and clothing that clasps or clips shut.

2. to join one object to another using a device such as a string, clip, button, or

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to join one object to another using a device such as a string, clip, button, or rope so that they stay connected

Example

Élise fastened the photo to the fridge door with a small magnet.

pattern: fasten + object + to + object

Hari fastened one end of the rope to the back of the truck to hold the furniture in place.

Common collocations
  • fasten to
  • fasten onto
  • fasten around
  • fasten with
Synonyms
  • attach

    Very similar in meaning; 'attach' is slightly more formal and often used for documents or digital files

  • tie

    Specifically involves string, rope, or cord tied in a knot

  • clip

    Uses a clip or similar device

Antonyms
  • detach

    Formal opposite — to separate something that was attached

Grammar Patterns

fasten + object + to/onto + object

fasten + object + around + object

Usage Note

The object being attached is the direct object of fasten, and the thing it is attached to follows a preposition — most often to, onto, or around.

Common Mistakes

He sticked the poster to the wall with tape.
He fastened the poster to the wall with tape.
'Stick' is not a regular past-tense verb, and 'fasten' is the standard word for attaching with tape or adhesive.

3. to hold something very tightly by wrapping your arms, hands, or teeth around it

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to hold something very tightly by wrapping your arms, hands, or teeth around it and keeping hold

Example

Tunde fastened his arms around the tree trunk to keep himself from falling off the cliff.

pattern: fasten + arms + around + object

The little puppy fastened its teeth into the old shoe and would not let go.

pattern: fasten + teeth + into + object

Common collocations
  • fasten arms around
  • fasten teeth into
  • fasten hands on
Synonyms
  • grip

    More direct and common; does not require the body-part-as-object structure

  • clutch

    Suggests a more desperate or urgent hold

  • clamp

    Suggests a very tight, immovable hold

Antonyms
  • release

    To let go of something one was gripping

Grammar Patterns

fasten + body part + around/into + object

Usage Note

The direct object is always a part of the body (arms, hands, teeth, fingers), followed by a preposition showing what is being gripped. The subject is the person or animal doing the gripping.

4. to keep your eyes or your thoughts directed steadily at a particular person or t

4.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to keep your eyes or your thoughts directed steadily at a particular person or thing without looking or thinking elsewhere

Example

The detective fastened his gaze on the man in the dark coat across the crowded station.

pattern: fasten + gaze + on + object; formal register

Rachel fastened her eyes on the finish line and kept running with all her strength.

Common collocations
  • fasten gaze on
  • fasten eyes on
  • fasten attention on
Synonyms
  • fix

    Very similar — 'fix your eyes on something' means the same

  • focus

    More common in everyday speech; works for both eyes and attention

  • concentrate

    Specifically about attention, not eye contact

Grammar Patterns

fasten + eyes/gaze/attention + on/upon + object

Usage Note

The object is always eyes, gaze, or attention (never a person or object directly). The pattern is fasten + object + on/upon + target. This sense is primarily used in written or literary English.

Phrasal verbs

fasten on

phrasal verb

To give your full attention to something or to choose something quickly.

The detective fastened on the clue about the missing key.

Why did you fasten on that particular idea for the project?

Word family

  • fastener
    nounB2
  • fastening
    nounB2
  • unfasten
    verbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Fasten, secure, tighten, lock, and attach all relate to making something fixed, but each has a different focus. Fasten is the most general word — you can fasten a seatbelt, a button, a gate, or a rope. It simply means to close or connect so that things stay in place. Secure adds the idea of making something safe from coming loose or being taken — you secure a door with a deadbolt or secure a load with extra straps. Tighten is narrower: it means to make something more taut or firm without necessarily closing it — you tighten a screw or a strap that is already in place. Lock involves an actual locking mechanism (a key, a code, a catch) and prevents opening rather than just holding. Attach focuses on joining two separate things that could be apart — you attach a file to an email or attach a hook to a wall. For everyday closing, 'fasten your seatbelt' is the natural choice — you would not say 'secure,' 'tighten,' or 'lock' your seatbelt in this context.

fasten ↗secure ↗tighten ↗lock ↗attach ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • fasten your seatbelt
  • fasten securely in place
  • fasten with a
  • fasten into position

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Fasten comes from the Old English word fæstnian, meaning 'to make fast or secure.' It shares a root with the adjective fast in its original sense of 'firmly fixed' (not the later meaning of 'quick'). For over a thousand years, the verb has kept its core meaning of making something firm, tight, or securely attached.