Meaning & use
soldering
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“soldering” is a form of “solder”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitivetechnical
The act of joining metal parts together using a hot tool and a metal alloy that melts at a low temperature.
Grammar: Can be used with an object (solder two wires) or without (the act of soldering).
Patterns
- solder something together
- solder something to something
- soldering iron
He is soldering the broken wire back together.
Soldering requires a steady hand and the right tools.
She learned soldering in her electronics class.
noununcountabletechnical
The process or activity of joining metal parts with solder.
Grammar: Uncountable: you cannot say 'a soldering' when referring to the process.
Patterns
- do some soldering
- soldering iron
- soldering technique
The soldering on this circuit board looks messy.
He spent the afternoon doing soldering in the workshop.
Word forms
| base form | solder |
|---|---|
| third person singular | solders |
| past tense | soldered |
| past participle | soldered |
Common combinations
- soldering iron
- Use a soldering iron to melt the solder.
- solder joint
- The solder joint was weak and broke easily.
- solder wire
- He soldered the wire to the terminal.
- soldering gun
- A soldering gun heats up faster than an iron.
Synonyms and how they differ
- welding
- Welding joins metals by melting them at much higher temperatures; soldering uses a lower-temperature filler metal.
- brazing
- Brazing is similar to soldering but done at higher temperatures, above 450°C.
Word family
Commonly confused: soldering or soldiering?
soldering vs soldiering
Soldiering means serving as a soldier; soldering is joining metals.
Practice
What is soldering used for?
Choose one answer.
Soldering is a technique for joining metal parts with a melted alloy. The other options are unrelated activities.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “soldering”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.