cupful

noun

cup·​ful ˈkəp-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce cupful (audio)
plural cupfuls ˈkəp-ˌfu̇lz How to pronounce cupful (audio) also cupsful ˈkəps-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce cupful (audio)
1
: as much as a cup will hold
2

Examples of cupful in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The two women poured cupfuls of hot water over my scalp to soften the hair, massaged my roots with their hands, and then lathered my dreadlocks and scrubbed. Safiya Sinclair, The New Yorker, 31 July 2023 In batches, add scant 1/4-cupfuls of batter. Joy Cho, Good Housekeeping, 17 Feb. 2023 Take a cupful of David Mitchell, a teaspoon of Banana Yoshimoto, several dashes of Emily St. John Mandel and a generous pour of Anthony Doerr ... Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2022 Each child participated, lowering a cupful into the water and tipping it until the eggs tumbled out and settled on a metal screen. Ian Jamesstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2022 Customers lined up to make gallons of the treat disappear, one plastic cupful at a time. Marc Lester, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Mar. 2022 Scooping out a cupful of Skippy proved the most challenging task. Monti Carlo, Bon Appétit, 13 Sep. 2021 To cook, heat a light coating of canola oil in a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low, then ladle in 1/3 cupfuls of batter, being careful not to crowd the pan. New York Times, 1 May 2020 Sauce isn’t doled out by the spoonfuls, but by the cupfuls. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 10 Oct. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cupful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cupful was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cupful

Cite this Entry

“Cupful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cupful. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cupful

noun
cup·​ful ˈkəp-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce cupful (audio)
plural cupfuls -ˌfu̇lz How to pronounce cupful (audio) also cupsful ˈkəps-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce cupful (audio)
1
: the amount held by a cup
2
3

More from Merriam-Webster on cupful

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