bracket: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, Technical
Quick answer
What does “bracket” mean?
A flat L-shaped support attached to a wall, or one of two marks [ ] or ( ) used to enclose text.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A flat L-shaped support attached to a wall, or one of two marks [ ] or ( ) used to enclose text.
A category or range, especially of income, age, or ability; to physically support or enclose something with brackets; to group people or things together.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In reference to the punctuation marks (), BrE often calls them 'brackets' or 'round brackets', while AmE primarily calls them 'parentheses'. The symbols [ ] are 'square brackets' in BrE but often simply 'brackets' in AmE. BrE also uses the term 'income bracket' slightly more commonly than AmE, which prefers 'tax bracket'.
Connotations
In AmE, 'bracket' in a classification sense (e.g., 'age bracket') is extremely common and neutral. In BrE, it can sometimes sound slightly more bureaucratic.
Frequency
The word is high-frequency in both technical (engineering, computing, finance) and general academic contexts. The verb form is slightly more common in AmE.
Grammar
How to Use “bracket” in a Sentence
bracket sth (with sth)bracket sb/sth together (as sth)bracket sth to sthVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bracket” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The columnist bracketed the two politicians together as populists.
- Please bracket your additional comments with square brackets.
American English
- The study bracketed participants into three age groups.
- You should bracket that equation to show the order of operations.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used; no standard examples)
- (Rarely used; no standard examples)
American English
- (Rarely used; no standard examples)
- (Rarely used; no standard examples)
adjective
British English
- The bracket fixture is sold separately.
- A bracket-laden document can be hard to read.
American English
- The bracket assembly is included in the kit.
- His writing is very bracket-heavy.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to describe tax or income bands: 'Moving into a higher tax bracket.'
Academic
Used for punctuation and to denote ranges in data: 'See the figures in brackets.'
Everyday
Referring to physical supports or general categories: 'We need a bracket for this shelf.' 'Parents in the 30-40 age bracket.'
Technical
In engineering, a mounting device; in computing/programming, a character for arrays and lists: 'The array index is in square brackets.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bracket”
- Using 'parentheses' and 'brackets' interchangeably without regard for regional variation.
- Misspelling as 'bracet' or 'brackette'.
- Using the verb incorrectly: 'They bracketed him for the promotion.' (Incorrect; should be 'They bracketed him *with* the other candidates.')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In British English, 'brackets' usually means ( ), while [ ] are 'square brackets'. In American English, ( ) are almost always called 'parentheses', and [ ] are often simply called 'brackets'.
Yes. It means either to physically attach something with a bracket, to enclose text in brackets, or, most commonly, to group people or things together in a category (e.g., 'They bracketed all beginners together').
A tax bracket is a range of incomes taxed at a particular rate. As your income increases, you may move into a higher bracket, paying a higher percentage on the portion of income within that new range.
They are often used interchangeably. Technically, a wall bracket is the general support fixed to a wall, while a shelf bracket is specifically designed to hold a shelf, often being an L-shaped part of a shelving system.
A flat L-shaped support attached to a wall, or one of two marks [ ] or ( ) used to enclose text.
Bracket is usually formal, technical in register.
Bracket: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbrækɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbrækɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to be in the top/bottom bracket”
- “bracket creep (taxation)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BRACKet holding up a RACKet on the wall — it supports it. Or, it's a BRACK-et that holds things together, whether words [like this] or groups of people.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINERS ARE BRACKETS (to enclose information), SUPPORT IS PHYSICAL STRUCTURE (the wall bracket), SOCIAL CLASSIFICATION IS MATHEMATICAL GROUPING.
Practice
Quiz
In American English, what is the most common term for the punctuation marks ( )?