snack

1 of 2

noun

: a light meal : food eaten between regular meals
also : food suitable for snacking

snack

2 of 2

verb

snacked; snacking; snacks

intransitive verb

: to eat a snack

Examples of snack in a Sentence

Noun He had a snack of chips and dip. I didn't have time for lunch so I just grabbed a quick snack. peanuts, potato chips, and other snack foods Verb She tries not to snack between meals. I'll just snack on an apple if I'm hungry.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The cafe serves snacks and pastries for humans and dogs (the coffee is just for humans). Sydney Page, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 The latest controversy is whether the food purchased by its recipients should be restricted to healthier diets that exclude snacks and sodas. Vance Ginn, National Review, 11 Mar. 2024 Dinner is a snack, usually cooked vegetables or a small portion of fish or a couple of shrimps. Nancy A. Ruhling, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Slauson Super Mall opened in 1985, with Korean immigrants selling clothing, snacks, ice cream and groceries. Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 With a smile that can light up the cosmos, the almost 90-pound pup is a gentle soul who leans into petting and never says no to a little snack. The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024 But an intrepid group will keep at it, maybe fueled by snacks and some hot coffee. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2024 The uptown store will sell sodas and cold beverages, artisanal and specialty snacks, to-go sandwiches, greeting cards, gifts, and beer and wine for retail purchases only. Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 29 Feb. 2024 Our editor's young child, who used to require a drink and snack when taking antihistamines, has no issues with the bubblegum or grape flavor and happily takes these chewables on his way to school. Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
Meanwhile, last year’s best actor winner Brendan Fraser snacked on his burger by the nearby bar. Angelique Jackson, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024 Scores of catshark, cuttles, young conger, and other nighttime predators patrol this seasonal ‘jungle’ slope, happy to snack on whatever comes their way. Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2024 Ninety-one percent of Americans snack between dinner and bedtime, most often with ice cream, cookies, chips, popcorn, and candy.1 While a bedtime snack is typically harmless, going to sleep on a stomach full of snacks or a heavy meal can be detrimental to your sleep quality and your overall health. Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 3 Jan. 2024 Guests can also snack on the great-for-value $2.99 hot dogs, nachos and soda in the stadium’s popular House Deals. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 7 Feb. 2024 Get The Recipe 08 of 30 Cinnamon Roll Bunnies Sculpt these sweet brunch treats into Easter bunny lookalikes, and you'll be tempted to snack on them well into the night. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 2 Feb. 2024 Guests can snack on small plates and have a cocktail before picking up a few grab-and-go staples to take home. Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2024 At the Super Bowl afterparty, the hitmaker and Chiefs tight end not only snacked, but also danced the night away. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 12 Feb. 2024 And of course there are the namesake pink flamingos to watch while snacking at the cafe. Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English snak bite, from snaken to bite, perhaps from Middle Dutch snacken to snap at — more at snatch

First Known Use

Noun

1757, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1807, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of snack was in 1757

Dictionary Entries Near snack

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

snack

noun
ˈsnak
: a light meal : lunch

More from Merriam-Webster on snack

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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