# cardboard

/ˈkɑɹdˌbɔɹd/ (US) · /kˈɑːdbɔːd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cardboard
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. packaging material

noun · CEFR A2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 2. made of cardboard

adjective · CEFR A2

made from thick, stiff paper.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. fake or shallow

adjective · CEFR C1 · Informal

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

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- I need a large cardboard box for these books.
- The delivery arrived in a sturdy cardboard carton reinforced with heavy-duty plastic tape.
- The artist chose to work with recycled cardboard rather than traditional canvas, finding that the rough texture added a raw, industrial quality to the final installation.

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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.