plural bagels
1
: a firm doughnut-shaped roll traditionally made by boiling and then baking
2
[from the resemblance of a bagel to the zero in the score of such a set] tennis, slang
: a set (see set entry 2 sense 15) in which one player or team wins every game
They were never in danger of losing, taking a 5-1 lead in the first set and registering a bagel in the second.—
Mike McGovern
Mike McGovernExamples of bagel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The redemption story is overused in sports, but Anisimova coming back from a double-bagel Wimbledon final defeat against Iga Świątek to beat the same player a couple of months later was extraordinary.
—The Athletic Tennis Staff, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
New York's iconic Russ & Daughters celebrates 100 years of slinging bagels and lox this year.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
If frozen correctly, thawed cream cheese can still be spread on toast or bagels.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
The bagel was salty, soft, chewy with a nice crust and not rubbery.
—Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bagel
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The Athletic Tennis Staff, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
New York's iconic Russ & Daughters celebrates 100 years of slinging bagels and lox this year.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
If frozen correctly, thawed cream cheese can still be spread on toast or bagels.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
The bagel was salty, soft, chewy with a nice crust and not rubbery.
—Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bagel
Cite this Entry
“Bagel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bagel. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bagel
noun
ba·gel
ˈbā-gəl 
: a firm doughnut-shaped roll
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