1
a
: a usually rounded metal or earthen container used chiefly for domestic purposes (as in cooking or for holding liquids or growing plants)
also
: any of various technical or industrial vessels or enclosures resembling or likened to a household pot
the pot of a still
b
: potful
a pot of coffee
2
: an enclosed framework of wire, wood, or wicker for catching fish or lobsters
3
a
: a large amount (as of money)
b(1)
: the total of the bets at stake at one time
(2)
: one round in a poker game
c
: the common fund of a group
4
: potshot
5
: potbelly
6
: ruin
gone to pot
7
British
: a shot in snooker in which a ball is pocketed
8
potted; potting
1
a
: to place in a pot
b
: to pack or preserve (something, such as cooked and chopped meat) in a sealed pot, jar, or can often with aspic
2
: to shoot with a potshot
3
: to make or shape (earthenware) as a potter
4
: to embed (something, such as electronic components) in a container with an insulating or protective material (such as plastic)
: to take a potshot
1
potential
2
potentiometer
Synonyms
Examples of pot in a Sentence
Verb
She spent the afternoon potting tulip bulbs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2024
Saturday marks marijuana culture’s high holiday, 4/20, when college students gather — at 4:20 p.m. — in clouds of smoke on campus quads and pot shops in legal-weed states thank their customers with discounts.
—Gene Johnson, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2024
No pot farms or dispensaries have been allowed to operate in the state.
—Ashley Okwuosa, The Examination; Amy Yurkanin, Al.com; John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
So there are just these big new pots of money coming online now and being distributed.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
Passion for pot and the Leafly Visitor Index, as measured by search trends, received a 100 out of 100.
—The Arizona Republic, 16 Apr. 2024
This Saturday is a big day for those who partake in weed, pot, reefer, ganja, Mary Jane, the devil’s lettuce or as it is most commonly known: marijuana.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2024
Bring a large pot of water or vegetable broth to a boil over high heat.
—Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2024
The Dali hit the Key Bridge on March 26, leading to the death of six construction workers who had been repairing pot holes in the overnight hours on the structure.
—Carrie Johnson, NPR, 15 Apr. 2024
Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 10 Jan. 2024
Brush away any potting mix that is clinging to the roots.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Mar. 2024
Her husband, Tom, has his beloved tomato plants potted and ready to replant on his son’s acreage.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024
Remove any dead roots and any large roots that will interfere with potting.
—Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024
Top off garden with fresh compost (not planting mix, not potting mix), plus worm castings and organic vegetable fertilizer.
—Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024
During the event, Shades of Moss owner Barry Greene will teach you how to pot your own plant on the patio at Devil’s Logic Brewing.
—Jessica Swannie, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024
Plant the seeds in a potting mix or soil with an equal distribution of peat, perlite, and volcanic rock.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2024
Just get a ginger root from the grocery store, chop it into 1-inch chunks, and plant those in a pretty good-size pot with just an inch of potting mix on top, leaving several inches between each piece of ginger.
—Katherine Roth, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2024
Noun
Other than the multiple layers of dead sod the previous owner left behind, most of the soil seemed better for making clay pots than for growing garden plants.
—Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2024
Saturday marks marijuana culture’s high holiday, 4/20, when college students gather — at 4:20 p.m. — in clouds of smoke on campus quads and pot shops in legal-weed states thank their customers with discounts.
—Gene Johnson, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2024
No pot farms or dispensaries have been allowed to operate in the state.
—Ashley Okwuosa, The Examination; Amy Yurkanin, Al.com; John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
So there are just these big new pots of money coming online now and being distributed.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
Passion for pot and the Leafly Visitor Index, as measured by search trends, received a 100 out of 100.
—The Arizona Republic, 16 Apr. 2024
This Saturday is a big day for those who partake in weed, pot, reefer, ganja, Mary Jane, the devil’s lettuce or as it is most commonly known: marijuana.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2024
Bring a large pot of water or vegetable broth to a boil over high heat.
—Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2024
The Dali hit the Key Bridge on March 26, leading to the death of six construction workers who had been repairing pot holes in the overnight hours on the structure.
—Carrie Johnson, NPR, 15 Apr. 2024
Verb
In a new pot (preferably 2-4 inches larger in diameter), add a fresh potting mix that contains coco coir, perlite, or vermiculite for optimum drainage.
—Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 10 Jan. 2024
Brush away any potting mix that is clinging to the roots.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Mar. 2024
Her husband, Tom, has his beloved tomato plants potted and ready to replant on his son’s acreage.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024
Remove any dead roots and any large roots that will interfere with potting.
—Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024
Top off garden with fresh compost (not planting mix, not potting mix), plus worm castings and organic vegetable fertilizer.
—Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024
During the event, Shades of Moss owner Barry Greene will teach you how to pot your own plant on the patio at Devil’s Logic Brewing.
—Jessica Swannie, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024
Plant the seeds in a potting mix or soil with an equal distribution of peat, perlite, and volcanic rock.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2024
Just get a ginger root from the grocery store, chop it into 1-inch chunks, and plant those in a pretty good-size pot with just an inch of potting mix on top, leaving several inches between each piece of ginger.
—Katherine Roth, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pot
Cite this Entry
“Pot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pot. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pot
1 of 3 noun1
a
: a deep rounded container for household purposes
cooking pot
b
: the quantity held by a pot
a pot of tea
2
: an enclosed trap for catching fish or lobsters
3
a
: a large quantity or sum
b
: the total of the bets at stake at one time
4
: ruin entry 1 sense 1
business went to pot
pot
2 of 3 verb
potted; potting
1
: to preserve in a sealed pot, jar, or can
2
: to plant or grow in a pot
pot
3 of 3 nounEtymology
Noun
perhaps from Mexican Spanish potiguaya "marijuana"
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