What Does "PASTE" Mean? The Complete Paste Definition
The meaning of PASTE is often simplest in its noun form: a soft, smooth substance made by mixing ingredients into a thick mass. The PASTE definition can also refer to a cosmetic or medicinal preparation, such as dental paste or hair paste, as well as a food mixture used in cooking. As a verb, to paste means to stick or attach something using an adhesive, or more generally to apply or spread a substance in a thick layer.
What does PASTE mean in everyday English? In modern usage, it most often appears in practical contexts: you might paste a label onto a box, paste garlic into a sauce, or use paste on a cut. PASTE used in English is flexible, but the core idea is always about a thick substance or the act of sticking. The word comes from Middle English and Old French pâte, ultimately from Latin pasta, meaning “dough.”
Paste Synonyms: Words Similar to PASTE
Synonyms for PASTE include several words that overlap by context, but each has a slightly different meaning.
- Dough — Similar in texture, but usually refers to bread or pastry mixtures rather than general thick compounds.
- Ointment — A medicinal soft substance; this is the closest match when PASTE means a topical preparation.
- Cream — Smoother and lighter than paste, often used for skincare, cooking, or fillings.
- Balm — A soothing topical preparation, usually more concentrated and often associated with relief.
- Spread — Broader and less technical, especially for foods or substances applied over a surface.
- Mash — Usually implies crushed or softened food, not necessarily a smooth adhesive mixture.
- Glue — Closely related in the “stick” sense, but glue is meant primarily for adhesion rather than texture.
How to Use "PASTE" in a Sentence: Real Examples
Here are a few real examples showing PASTE in different contexts and forms.
- The chef added tomato paste to deepen the sauce’s flavor.
- Please paste the shipping label onto the package before mailing it.
- She applied a fluoride paste to the toothbrush and brushed carefully.
- The doctor recommended a soothing paste for the irritated skin.
PASTE in NYT Connections #1112 — Why Did It Appear?
In NYT Connections #1112 on 2026-04-09, PASTE appeared in the Green category, the hardest group, titled It belonged with and , all of which point toward soothing or medicinal topical preparations. That makes PASTE a clever fit because players may know the common “food” or “glue” meanings first, not the softer pharmaceutical sense. For anyone searching , the answer is that the puzzle was testing a less obvious but dictionary-valid meaning. As a word-game clue, it was tricky because the most familiar meaning of PASTE can distract from the theme.