Word
cardboard
Phoneticscard·board, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɑɹdˌbɔɹd/
UK/kˈɑːdbɔːd/
Definitions
01packaging material
A2 · Elementary Uncountable noun
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.
“We need several large cardboard boxes to pack all our books for the move.”
“The warehouse was filled with stacks of flattened cardboard ready to be recycled after the morning deliveries were processed.”
Synonyms
02made of cardboard
A2 · Elementary
adj. made from thick, stiff paper.
adj. constructed from or consisting of cardboard material.
“The children made a cardboard castle out of old delivery packages.”
“The stage designer used painted cardboard cutouts to create the illusion of a dense forest behind the actors.”
03fake or shallow
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.
“The movie was okay, but the villain felt like a cardboard character with no real motive.”
“Critics dismissed the play, arguing that the dialogue was wooden and the protagonist was a mere cardboard stereotype of a detective.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “cardboard” in context.
Etymology
From card + board.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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