# shoestring

/ˈʃuˌstɹɪŋ/ (US) · /ʃˈuːstɹɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shoestring
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Definition

a long thin cord you thread through holes to tie your shoe and keep it on your foot. People also say 'on a shoestring' when you do something with very little money.

For teachers: a narrow lace or cord threaded through eyelets to fasten a shoe or boot. Appears in the idiom 'on a shoestring' to describe activity carried out with minimal expenditure.

## Examples

- He ties his shoestring in a double knot.
- She stops at the stairs to retie her loose shoestring before catching the bus.
- After miles of hiking with a frayed shoestring threatening to snap, he rations his steps carefully to avoid losing a sole on the rocky descent.

## Synonyms

lace, shoelace

## Usage notes

- Common in the idiom 'on a shoestring', meaning with very little money.

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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.