English Reference
noun · adjective

cardboard

n. · adj.
US /ˈkɑɹdˌbɔɹd/ UK /kˈɑːdbɔːd/ card·board UK spelling cardboards

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    n.a thick, strong type of paper used for making boxes.

    n.a stiff, heavy-duty paper-based material, often corrugated, used primarily for manufacturing containers and shipping boxes.

    Simple

    We need several large cardboard boxes to pack all our books for the move.

    In context

    The warehouse was filled with stacks of flattened cardboard ready to be recycled after the morning deliveries were processed.

    boardpasteboard
  2. 02 A2 Elementary

    adj.made from thick, stiff paper.

    adj.constructed from or consisting of cardboard material.

    Simple

    The children made a cardboard castle out of old delivery packages.

    In context

    The stage designer used painted cardboard cutouts to create the illusion of a dense forest behind the actors.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Informal

    adj.used to describe something that feels fake, boring, or not real.

    adj.describing something that lacks depth, realism, or vitality; often applied to poorly developed fictional characters.

    Simple

    The movie was okay, but the villain felt like a cardboard character with no real motive.

    In context

    Critics dismissed the play, arguing that the dialogue was wooden and the protagonist was a mere cardboard stereotype of a detective.

    two dimensionalflatunconvincing

Usage cardboard box · cardboard boxes


From card + board.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Frequent
Updated