vending machine

noun

: a coin-operated machine for selling merchandise

Examples of vending machine 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.
This deep interrogation has led to cool experiments in form and distribution, like a series of zines sold via newspaper vending machine. James Folta, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026 Maryland more than doubled its naloxone distribution between 2021 and 2025, including via vending machines, emergency medical services, and programs in which public safety personnel provide the drug to people at the scene of an overdose. Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026 The bank had expected profit to decline on the back of higher raw material and tea leaf costs, as well as expenses related to the company’s vending machine business. Jenny Lee, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 There is still no timeline for the vending machine's return to Mount Washington. Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vending machine

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vending machine was circa 1895

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vending machine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vending%20machine. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

vending machine

noun
: a machine from which one may get merchandise after putting in coins

More from Merriam-Webster on vending machine

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster