Tuck is a word with several meaningsdifferent senses or interpretations of a word. Most often, it means to push or place something neatly into or under something else. It can also mean a fold in fabriccloth used to make clothing or other items, a tight body position in sports, or, less commonly, sweets or a type of sworda sharp blade used as a weapon.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /tʌk/
Easy pronunciation: TUK (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable; stress is on the only syllable.
Verb meaning to fit snugly into or under something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Tuck Meaning
to put something neatly in place so it fits tightly or stays secure
Part of speech: verb
Definition: fit snugly into or under something
Example: She tucked her shirt into her jeans before leaving.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- insert — Can work in some contexts, but is more formal and less natural than tuck for everyday use.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Tuck
Meaning 2
to gather cloth or skin into small folds
Part of speech: verb
Definition: draw together into folds or puckers
Example: The fabric tucked as it was pulled tight.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- gather — Works when the meaning is pulling material into folds.
- pucker — Fits when something wrinkles or forms small folds, but is less general than tuck.
Meaning 3
to fold fabric neatly and hold the fold in place
Part of speech: verb
Definition: make a tuck or several folds in
Example: The tailor tucked the dress at the waist.
Meaning 4
an old type of sword with a narrow blade
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a straight sword with a narrow blade and two edges
Example: The museum displayed a ceremonial tuck.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- rapier — A close historical sword term, though rapier is not always an exact substitute.
Meaning 5
a sewn fold in cloth
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a narrow flattened pleat or fold that is stitched in place
Example: The blouse had small tucks at the shoulders.
Meaning 6
food, especially treats or sweets
Part of speech: noun
Definition: eatables (especially sweets)
Example: The children were excited about the holiday tuck.
Meaning 7
a tight body position with the knees pulled in
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a bodily position used in some sports where the knees are bent and pulled close to the chest
Example: She finished the dive in a perfect tuck position.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Tuck Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- insert
draw together into folds or puckers
- gather
- pucker
a straight sword with a narrow blade and two edges
- rapier
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse tuck the verb with tuck the noun meaning a fold in fabric.
- Do not confuse tuck meaning a fold with the sports position tuck.
- Do not use rapier as a synonym for the verb tuck.
- In everyday English, tuck often means to put clothing or fabric neatly in place, especially by tucking something in.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does tuck mean in everyday English?
Most often, tuck means to put something neatly into or under something else, as in tucking in a shirt or tucking a blanket around someone.
What are the synonyms of tuck?
For the most common verb sense, insert is the closest supplied synonym, though it is more formal. Other senses use different synonyms such as gather, pucker, or rapier depending on the meaning.
Is tuck always a verb?
No. Tuck can also be a noun, such as a fold in fabric, a type of sword, or a sports body position.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.