# bonds

/ˈbɑndz/ (US) · /bˈɒndz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bonds
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. connections between people

noun · CEFR B2

strong feelings of friendship, love, or shared ideas that join people together.

For teachers: the emotional or social ties that unite individuals or groups within a community or family.

- The shared experience of the long journey created strong bonds between the travelers.
- The program aims to strengthen the social bonds between different generations in the local neighborhood through shared gardening projects.

### 2. financial investments

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

official documents where you lend money to a government or company to earn interest.

For teachers: fixed-income instruments representing loans made by investors to borrowers, typically corporate or governmental.

- Many people invest in government bonds because they are considered very safe.
- The central bank decided to purchase long-term government bonds to stabilize the national economy during the fiscal crisis.

### 3. physical restraints

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

ropes, chains, or other things used to tie someone up or keep them prisoner.

For teachers: physical restraints or shackles used to prevent movement or maintain captivity.

- The prisoner finally managed to break his bonds and escape into the forest.
- The poem uses the image of broken bonds to symbolize the nation's struggle for independence from colonial rule.

## Examples

- The two sisters share very strong family bonds.
- The shared experience of the long journey created lasting bonds between the travelers.
- While the government issued new bonds to fund infrastructure, the social bonds within the community were tested by the resulting tax increases.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.