# cobweb

/ˈkɑbˌwɛb/ (US) · /kˈɒbwɛb/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cobweb
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. spider's web

noun · CEFR B1

a net of thin, sticky threads made by a spider, usually found in the corners of old rooms.

For teachers: a spider's web, particularly one that is old, dusty, or abandoned in an indoor setting.

- She used a long brush to remove the cobwebs from the ceiling corners.
- Thick cobwebs draped across the rafters of the abandoned barn, catching the dust of several decades.

### 2. mental confusion

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a feeling of being confused or sleepy that you need to clear away.

For teachers: a state of mental confusion, lethargy, or outdated thinking. Often used in the plural with the verb 'clear'.

- A quick walk in the fresh air helped me clear the cobwebs after a long nap.
- The new CEO was determined to clear away the corporate cobwebs and modernise the company's stagnant culture.

### 3. something flimsy

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

something that is very thin, weak, or easy to break.

For teachers: something considered thin, unsubstantial, or flimsy in structure or logic.

- The old map was so thin it felt like a cobweb in my hands.
- His legal argument was a mere cobweb of half-truths that collapsed under the slightest scrutiny from the judge.

### 4. to cover with webs

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to cover something with spiderwebs.

For teachers: to cover or become covered with cobwebs or a web-like substance.

- The neglected attic had cobwebbed over the years.
- Time had cobwebbed the library, leaving the ancient manuscripts shrouded in a delicate grey veil of silk and dust.

## Examples

- She brushed away the cobweb from the ceiling.
- The attic hadn't been opened in years, and every beam was draped with thick grey cobwebs.
- In the dim light of the abandoned chapel, cobwebs hung like tattered lace from the rafters, undisturbed for decades.

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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.