What does strapped mean?
Strapped most commonly describes something held firmly in place by a strap, as in a passenger strapped into a seat or a load strapped to a vehicle. It can also describe a person who has been secured in this way. In informal English, however, the word has a broader figurative meaning: being strapped for money or time means being short of money or time. This sense often appears in expressions such as 'strapped for cash' or 'strapped for time'. The word is consequently versatile: it can describe a literal method of fastening or convey the pressure and limitation associated with a shortage. Its figurative use is especially common in everyday speech, while the literal sense is standard in both formal and informal contexts.
Fastened or held securely by a strap or straps.
"The child was strapped into the car seat."
Often used in the phrases 'strapped in' and 'strapped down'.
Informally, short of money, time, or another resource.
"The project was delayed because the team was strapped for time."
This sense is idiomatic and generally informal.
Fastened or secured with a strap or straps.
"They strapped the equipment to the backpacks before leaving."
The past tense and past participle form of 'strap'.
From being literally tied down with straps, the word came to describe being short of cash or time.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does strapped come from?
The word 'strapped' is the past tense and past participle of 'strap', meaning to fasten or secure with a band. 'Strap' comes through Middle English from an Old English word related to a strip or band of material. The later figurative sense developed from the idea of being tightly bound or unable to move freely, which came to suggest being short of resources.
Related word forms
How strapped is actually used
The financial and time-related senses are informal and idiomatic, especially in phrases such as 'strapped for cash' and 'strapped for time'.
Easily confused with strapped
Strapped means fastened with straps or short of resources; it does not specifically mean surrounded or encircled, which is the meaning of 'strapped around' in some contexts.