mouthful

noun

mouth·​ful ˈmau̇th-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce mouthful (audio)
1
a
: as much as a mouth will hold
b
: the quantity usually taken into the mouth at one time
2
: a small quantity
3
a
: a very long word or phrase
b
: a comment or a statement rich in meaning or substance

Examples of mouthful in a Sentence

It was a delicious meal. We enjoyed every mouthful. His last name is a real mouthful.
Recent Examples on the Web The search giant could also talk about its follow-up to the Pixel Fold, which is rumored to get a mouthful of a rebrand to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Wes Davis, The Verge, 11 May 2024 The camera captured him spitting a mouthful of seeds, then turning away. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 6 May 2024 But fashion and branding experts noted the mouthful of a brand name and questioned whether the TV actor-turned-Duchess of Sussex wants to start the next Goop or be the next Martha Stewart. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2024 However, in the more heavily-sauced mouthfuls, the fruity wine balanced out the louder flavors splendidly. The Indianapolis Star, 19 Jan. 2024 The cobbler delivered one mouthful of chunky boysenberry jam after another. Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register, 8 Mar. 2024 Watching players struggle for air and risk swallowing mouthfuls of salt water is about as intense a viewing experience as Survivor can be. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 9 Feb. 2024 Succulent mouthful of a layer cake of flavors—brownies, candy cane, red licorice and cranberry juice. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 The most magical detail is a mouthful of teeth made from handmade iron nails, which evoke both Kongo power figures and a very serious scarecrow. Will Heinrich, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mouthful.' 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

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of mouthful was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near mouthful

Cite this Entry

“Mouthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mouthful. Accessed 19 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

mouthful

noun
mouth·​ful ˈmau̇th-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce mouthful (audio)
1
a
: as much as a mouth will hold
b
: the amount put into the mouth at one time
2
: a small quantity
3
a
: a word or phrase that is very long or difficult to say
b
: a comment or remark that is rich in meaning
you said a mouthful

More from Merriam-Webster on mouthful

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