1
: preserved in a sealed can or jar
canned peaches
canned pumpkin
2
a
: prepared or recorded in advance
especially : prepared in standardized form for nonspecific use or wide distribution
canned laughter
canned music
b
: lacking originality or individuality as if mass-produced
a canned speech
3
slang : drunk sense 1a

Examples of canned in a Sentence

The salesperson kept using the same canned phrases. there's a canned quality to the screenplay that reminds you of countless other action movies
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.
Interviewers are more attuned than ever to canned or inauthentic responses. Andrew Fennell, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025 Dessert Options Multiply While canned and frozen options may be available year-round, there’s no denying that fresh fruit just tastes better—especially when baked into a cobbler or churned into ice cream. Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 May 2025 The kitchen and its canned menu were intended for the command staff only; even today, civilians are required to bring their own nonperishables underground. Jessi Jezewska Stevens, The Dial, 24 Apr. 2025 Ingredient lists tell you a lot about when a recipe was popular, and pear salad might have had its peak mid-20th century, when canned fruit dominated the supermarket shelves. Anne Byrn, Southern Living, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for canned

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of canned was in 1856

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Canned.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canned. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

canned

adjective
1
: preserved in a sealed can or jar
canned peaches
2
a
: prepared or recorded in advance
especially : prepared in one form for ordinary use or wide distribution
canned laughter
b
: lacking originality as if mass-produced
a canned speech

More from Merriam-Webster on canned

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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