Meaning & use
cobweb
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A fine, sticky network of threads made by a spider to catch insects.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a cobweb or cobwebs.
Patterns
- a cobweb in something
- spin a cobweb
A cobweb stretched across the corner of the window.
She brushed a cobweb from her face as she entered the old shed.
The spider repaired its cobweb after the storm.
nouncountable
An old, dusty spider's web, especially one found in a neglected place.
Grammar: Often used in the plural to suggest neglect: cobwebs in the attic.
Patterns
- cobwebs in something
- blow away the cobwebs
The attic was full of cobwebs and old boxes.
He hadn't cleaned the basement in years; cobwebs hung from every beam.
A walk in the fresh air will blow away the cobwebs.
Word forms
| plural | cobwebs |
|---|
Common combinations
- a cobweb of
- The ceiling was covered in a cobweb of fine cracks.
- cobweb-covered
- They explored a cobweb-covered room.
- blow away the cobwebs
- A brisk walk can blow away the cobwebs after a long meeting.
- brush away a cobweb
- She brushed away a cobweb before sitting down.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- cobwebbed adjective
- Covered with cobwebs.
- cobwebby adjective
- Full of or resembling cobwebs.
Commonly confused: cobweb or spiderweb?
cobweb vs spiderweb
Spiderweb is the general term for any web a spider makes. Cobweb often implies an old, dusty web in a corner or unused room.
Practice
Choose the best word to complete the sentence: The basement was dark and full of ______.
Choose one answer.
Cobwebs fits best because it suggests old, dusty webs in a neglected place. Spiderwebs is more neutral and less likely in this context of neglect; webs is too general; nets are usually made by people.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cobweb”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.