at the seams

phrase

: entirely, completely
falling apart at the seams

Examples of at the seams in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
My closet is always busting at the seams, but for good reason. — Ali Faccenda, InStyle, 28 Aug. 2026 Luckily, Amazon is bursting at the seams with pretty options, including this three-piece Nautica set that effortlessly matches basic sheets and comforters. — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026 And while museums are bursting at the seams with paintings of naked women, real women are thrown out of museums for wearing too little (a low-cut dress) or too much (a niqab). — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 The Culture House notes on its website that its main facility has been bursting at the seams for years and said new performing groups and artists in the metro are in need of stages and exhibition spaces. — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for at the seams

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of at the seams was in 1959

Rhymes for at the seams

See All Rhymes for at the seams

Browse Nearby Words

at the same time
at the seams
at the sight of
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“At the seams.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20seams. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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