thong

thong — noun

1. a narrow strip of leather or other strong material, used as a fastener or as the

1.nounB2
Definition

a narrow strip of leather or other strong material, used as a fastener or as the flexible length of a whip

Example

Niran used a leather thong to tie the tent poles together before packing them.

countable noun + prepositional phrase to tie

A thick leather thong under the horse's belly held the old saddle in place.

modified: thick leather thong + passive construction

Common collocations
  • leather thong
  • rubber thong
  • braided thong
  • thick thong
  • thin thong
  • rawhide thong
  • whip thong
Synonyms
  • strap

    broader term; a strap is usually wider than a thong

  • strip

    more general; does not imply leather or a fastening purpose

  • lace

    narrower; usually refers to cord or string, not a strip of leather

Grammar Patterns

thong + of + noun

leather/rubber thong

Usage Note

Commonly modified by material (leather, rubber, rawhide) or function (whip thong, strap thong). Often paired with verbs like 'tie', 'attach', 'fasten', 'pull'.

Common Mistakes

He threaded a thin thong of string through the hole.
He threaded a thin thong of leather through the hole.
'thong' strongly implies a strip of leather or hide, not ordinary string or thread.
The shoelace is a kind of thong.
The shoelace is a kind of lace or cord.
Ordinary shoelaces are not called thongs; thongs are wider, stronger strips typically made of leather.

2. a type of underwear or swimsuit bottom whose back section is a very narrow strip

2.nounB1
Definition

a type of underwear or swimsuit bottom whose back section is a very narrow strip of fabric that sits between the buttocks, leaving the buttocks largely uncovered

Example

Sofia bought a pack of cotton thongs at the department store near her apartment.

countable noun: 'a pack of cotton thongs'

Esme wore a thong under her tight white dress to hide any underwear lines.

purpose: worn under tight clothing to avoid visible lines

Common collocations
  • cotton thong
  • lace thong
  • thong bikini
  • thong underwear
  • wear a thong
  • pack of thongs
  • black thong
  • seamless thong
Synonyms
  • G-string

    similar but usually has a thinner string-like back; often associated with lingerie or performance wear

  • cheeky underwear

    covers slightly more of the buttocks than a thong; a moderate alternative

Antonyms
  • briefs

    full-coverage underwear that covers the entire buttocks

  • boxers

    loose-fitting men's underwear with full coverage

Grammar Patterns

a pair of thongs

thong underwear

thong bikini

Usage Note

Often worn to avoid visible underwear lines under tight clothing (called 'VPL' — visible panty lines). In swimwear contexts, a 'thong bikini' and a 'G-string' are similar but not identical: a G-string has a thinner string-like back. The word is also used as a modifier: 'thong underwear', 'thong swimsuit'.

Common Mistakes

I wore a thong pant to the pool.
I wore a thong to the pool.
'thong' already means the garment; do not add 'pant' or 'pants'.
He bought a thong swimsuit that looked like shorts.
He bought a thong swimsuit with a thin back strap.
A thong swimsuit has a narrow back; if it looks like shorts, it is not a thong.

3. a flat, open-toed sandal whose V-shaped strap passes between the first and secon

3.nounB1
Definition

a flat, open-toed sandal whose V-shaped strap passes between the first and second toes to keep it on the foot, typically made of rubber or plastic and worn in warm weather or at the beach

Example

Benjamin slipped off his rubber thongs before stepping onto the wooden deck of the pool.

variety: British/Australian usage — 'rubber thongs'

Blue plastic thongs protected Tunde's feet from the hot beach sand.

Common collocations
  • rubber thongs
  • plastic thongs
  • pair of thongs
  • wear thongs
  • flip-flop thongs
Synonyms
  • flip-flop

    the dominant term in American English for this style of shoe

  • sandal

    broader category; not all sandals have the toe strap

  • slide

    similar slip-on style but does not have the toe strap

  • slipper

    usually worn indoors; not the same as a rubber thong

Antonyms
  • closed shoe

    any shoe that fully covers the foot

  • boot

    covers the foot and ankle, opposite of open sandal

Grammar Patterns

a pair of thongs

wear thongs

rubber/plastic thongs

Usage Note

The word 'thong' for this type of shoe is common in British English, Australian English, and New Zealand English. In American English, this shoe is more commonly called a 'flip-flop'. In Australian English, 'thongs' is the default term — do not confuse with the underwear sense, which is clear from context. The singular form ('a thong') exists but is less common than the plural ('thongs').

Common Mistakes

I packed my thong for the gym.
I packed my thongs for the beach.
'thongs' (sandals) are for casual warm-weather wear, not for the gym. 'thong' (singular) more often refers to underwear.
He walked through the office wearing thongs.
He walked through the office wearing flip-flops.
In American English, 'thongs' refers to underwear; use 'flip-flops' or 'sandals' for the shoe sense in the US.

Word family

  • thonged
    adjectiveC1
  • thong-like
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/3

All four words describe open footwear, but they differ in style and regional usage. 'Flip-flop' is the standard American English term for a flat rubber or plastic shoe held on by a V-shaped strap between the toes — Americans rarely use 'thong' for shoes. 'Sandal' is the broadest category and can include flip-flops, slides, and strappy dress sandals; it does not specifically require the toe-strap design. 'Slide' is a backless shoe with a wide strap across the top of the foot but no toe piece — it is easier to slip on and off than a flip-flop. 'Slipper' is typically worn indoors and may be made of soft fabric or fleece, whereas flip-flops and thongs are outdoor footwear. Example: 'Benjamin wore rubber flip-flops to the pool in California, but his Australian friend called the same shoes thongs.'

flip-flopsandalslide ↗slipper ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • pair of thongs
  • strip of thong

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Old English 'þwang' (a narrow strip of leather), tracing back to Proto-Germanic '*thwangaz'. The word has been used for leather fastenings since before written English. The sandal sense (a shoe with a thong between the toes) emerged in the mid-20th century, and the underwear sense rose to popularity in the 1980s and 1990s as fashion trends shifted toward minimal-coverage garments.