putty

putty — noun

1. a soft material that is pressed into gaps around window glass to hold it in plac

1.nounB1
Definition

a soft material that is pressed into gaps around window glass to hold it in place, or pushed into small openings in wood so the surface becomes even before painting

Example

Lan used putty to fix the loose window pane before winter arrived.

putty + window pane (typical collocation)

The old wooden frame needed fresh putty to fill the cracks.

fill cracks with putty (collocation)

Common collocations
  • window putty
  • apply putty
  • a ball of putty
  • fresh putty
  • putty knife
Synonyms
  • filler

    a broader term for any substance that fills holes; putty is a specific type of filler

  • sealant

    often a flexible rubber-like material used for waterproofing, whereas putty is more clay-like and dries hard

  • caulk

    typically a soft, flexible sealant for gaps around bathrooms or kitchens, while putty is stiffer and used more on windows and wood

Grammar Patterns

putty + (is) + used for + noun/gerund

Usage Note

Putty is an uncountable noun — you cannot say 'a putty' or 'putties' for the material.

Common Mistakes

I bought some putties from the hardware store.
I bought some putty from the hardware store.
Putty is uncountable and has no plural form when referring to the material.

2. a person who is very easy to control, persuade, or influence, especially because

2.nounB2
Definition

a person who is very easy to control, persuade, or influence, especially because they are weak-willed or have strong feelings for someone

Example

Anong was putty in the salesperson's hands and bought everything offered.

be putty in someone's hands (fixed expression)

The grandchildren had their grandfather wrapped around their fingers — he was pure putty.

pure putty (intensifier with the idiom)

Common collocations
  • putty in someone's hands
  • putty in someone's fingers
  • pure putty
  • like putty
Synonyms
  • pushover

    more common and slightly more negative; suggests someone gives in too easily to requests

  • pawn

    suggests being used as a tool by others, with less willingness than putty implies

  • doormat

    more disapproving; implies someone who accepts unfair treatment without complaint

Antonyms
  • strong-willed person

    someone who is difficult to persuade or control

  • leader

    someone who influences others rather than being influenced

Grammar Patterns

be + putty + in + possessive + hands

Usage Note

This sense almost always appears in the fixed expression 'putty in someone's hands' or with a similar possessive structure. It describes a temporary state of being easily influenced, not a permanent personality trait.

Common Mistakes

He is a putty, so his friends make all the decisions.
He is putty in his friends' hands, so they make all the decisions.
The figurative meaning requires the full expression with 'in someone's hands'; 'a putty' is ungrammatical.
Idioms

(like) putty in somebody’s hands

idiom

Someone who is very easy for another person to control or persuade.

Maya can get Brian to agree to anything; he's putty in her hands.

When the toddler cries, his grandfather becomes putty in his hands.

putty — verb

Word family

  • puttied
    adjectiveB2
  • puttying
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Putty, filler, caulk, and sealant are all materials used to fill gaps or repair surfaces, but they differ in composition and use. Putty is a dough-like mixture (typically whiting and linseed oil) that hardens as it dries, making it ideal for setting window panes and filling small wood holes. Filler is a broad category that includes any substance used to level surfaces or fill imperfections — wood filler, wall filler, and body filler for cars are all examples. Caulk is a soft, flexible sealant, usually latex or silicone, applied from a tube for waterproof joints around baths, sinks, and window edges; it stays somewhat flexible after drying. Sealant is the most general term, covering any material that blocks the passage of liquids or air, from silicone caulk to rubber gaskets. If you are repairing a window sash, choose putty. For sealing a bathtub edge, reach for caulk. For filling a nail hole before painting, any wood filler will do.

putty ↗fillercaulksealant

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • putty in someone's hands
  • putty knife
  • a tube of putty
  • a ball of putty

Prepositions

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

The word 'putty' comes from French 'potée', meaning 'potter's clay' or literally 'potful'. This French term is derived from 'pot' (a container). In the 1600s, English adopted the word to refer to a type of fine cement used by glaziers — a clay-like mixture of whiting powder and linseed oil that is still the standard material for setting window glass. The figurative sense of a person who is easy to shape or control emerged later, drawing on the idea of putty as a soft, moldable substance.