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: an often small mechanical or electronic device with a practical use but often thought of as a novelty
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Other Words from gadget
Examples of gadget in a Sentence
The kitchen is equipped with all the latest gadgets.
cell phones, pagers, and other gadgets
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Elissa Strauss, CNN, “How to engage preschoolers on Zoom when social bonding is more important than ever,” 10 June 2020 In response, accessory-makers offered up all kinds of crazy add-ons, from booklight-like gadgets that shone light onto the screen to bulky screen magnifiers with bulbs and batteries in them.
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Brendan Nystedt, Wired, “Retro Hackers Are Building a Better Nintendo Game Boy,” 10 June 2020 Particularly in America, which has had a close and complex relationship with Japan since World War II, this image has evolved from fearsome enemy to producer of cheap cars and gadgets to, finally, whimsical creative fantasy factory.
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Marc Bain, Quartz, “How Japan’s global image morphed from military empire to eccentric pop-culture superpower,” 21 May 2020 According to the research firm NPD Group, U.S. consumers adopted a do-it-yourself mind-set as the pandemic took hold in late March, driving kitchen gadget sales.
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Thomas Heath, Washington Post, “Big food brands, out-of-favor for years, see sales and stock prices jump on stay-at-home grazing,” 11 May 2020 CBS News’ Charlie D’Agata shares what some of these inventions are, ranging from nifty gadgets to elite technology.
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CBS News, “From gadgets to high-tech: Here are some safety innovations spurred by coronavirus pandemic,” 29 Apr. 2020 Fry’s Electronics stocked gadgets and hardware and became a favorite hangout spot for techies as the Silicon Valley boom got underway.
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Shwanika Narayan, SFChronicle.com, “Charles Fry, who started a grocery chain in the Bay Area, dies at 92,” 23 Jan. 2020 This new gadget may make your streaming sound a lot better.
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David Rovella, Bloomberg.com, “Your Evening Briefing,” 12 May 2020 These gadgets can be costly, but compared with regular facial treatments at a medical spa or skin-care studio, shoppers might save money in the long run.
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Nia Decaille, Washington Post, “In a youth-obsessed industry, Reddit provides space for beauty fans over 30. Here are their best skin-care tips.,” 6 Mar. 2020
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word ‘gadget.’ Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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First Known Use of gadget
1886, in the meaning defined above
History and Etymology for gadget
perhaps a sound-symbolic coinage, with final as in fidget entry 1, midget, idjit (nonstandard form of idiot)
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Cite this Entry
“Gadget.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gadget. Accessed 23 Jun. 2020.
More Definitions for gadget
Kids Definition of gadget
: a small useful device that is often interesting, unfamiliar, or unusual
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