plastic
gb/plˈæstɪk/ us/plˈæstɪk/
A2
English
~ 2100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Synthetic polymer material
A man-made material that can be shaped and is used to make many things.
Usage pattern:
[something] made of plastic
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'plastic' with 'rubber' or 'silicone' when describing materials.
Synonyms
polymer (More technical term for certain types of plastics; not all polymers are plastics.)
|
synthetic material (Broader term that includes plastic and other man-made substances.)
Antonyms
natural material (Opposite in origin, coming from nature rather than being man-made.)
Collocations
plastic bag
|plastic bottle
|plastic container
|plastic waste
|plastic packaging
Themes
materials
|manufacturing
|daily life
|science
|technology
Examples
- This toy is made of durable plastic.
- Plastic waste is a major environmental problem.
- She poured the juice into a plastic cup.
- The chair is lightweight because it's plastic.
- They recycle all their plastic bottles.
Learner examples
- This bag is plastic.
- I drink from a plastic cup.
- The table is plastic.
- Plastic bottles are in the bin.
- We use plastic for many things.
Noun
B1
entity
2
Credit or debit card
A bank card you use to pay instead of money.
Usage pattern:
to pay with plastic
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this meaning is informal and metaphorical, not about actual material.
Synonyms
card (General term for a payment card; less specific about material or slang.)
Antonyms
cash (Physical money, the alternative to paying with a card.)
Collocations
pay with plastic
|use plastic
|carry plastic
Themes
finance
|shopping
|daily_life
Examples
- Many travelers prefer to use plastic instead of carrying cash.
- I never carry much cash; I just use plastic.
- The store accepts plastic for all purchases.
Learner examples
- I pay with plastic at the shop.
- She uses plastic to buy food.
- We can use plastic instead of cash.
adjective
B2
property
3
Easily shaped or molded
Able to be shaped without breaking.
Synonyms
malleable (Often used for metals; implies easy shaping.)
|
flexible (Can mean bendable rather than moldable; broader use.)
Antonyms
brittle (Breaks easily when bent or shaped; opposite property.)
Collocations
plastic material
|plastic quality
Themes
materials
|manufacturing
|science
|technology
Examples
- Clay is more plastic when wet.
- The metal becomes plastic at high temperatures.
- This substance remains plastic for hours after mixing.
Learner examples
- Clay is plastic when it is wet.
- The hot metal is plastic and easy to shape.
- This material is plastic when warm.
adjective
B2
property
4
Artificial or insincere appearance
Looking or feeling fake, not real or natural.
Synonyms
phony (Informal; strongly negative connotation of fakeness.)
|
insincere (Focuses on lack of genuine feeling rather than physical appearance.)
Antonyms
genuine (Real and sincere in feeling or appearance.)
Collocations
plastic smile
|plastic personality
Themes
emotions
|character
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She gave him a plastic smile and walked away.
- The performance felt plastic and lacked emotion.
- His charm seemed plastic to those who knew him well.
Learner examples
- She has a plastic smile.
- His words are plastic and not true.
- The show feels plastic and fake.
Grammar
Dictionary form
plastic
IPA
GB/plˈæstɪk/
US/plˈæstɪk/
Syllables & stress
plastic (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (plastic)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: plastic
Noun
- Base: plastic
- Plural: plastic, plastics
Word family
Forms
plastics
noun
Advanced or less common
plasticity
noun
plasticize
verb
plasticizer
noun
Expressions
pay with plastic
1/pˈeɪ wˈɪθ plˈæstɪk/
fixed phrase
Use a card for payment
To pay for something using a bank card instead of money.
Examples
- We rarely carry cash now; we just pay with plastic.
- Tourists often pay with plastic when shopping abroad.
plastic bag ban
1/plˈæstɪk bˈæɡ bˈæn/
fixed phrase
Law against single-use bags
A rule that stops people from using throwaway plastic bags.
Examples
- The city introduced a plastic bag ban last year.
- Many countries have a plastic bag ban to reduce waste.
plastic surgery
1/plˈæstɪk sˈɚd͡ʒɚi/
fixed phrase
Surgery to repair or change appearance
Medical operations to fix or change how part of the body looks.
Examples
- She had plastic surgery to fix her broken nose.
- Plastic surgery is common in the entertainment industry.