variants
or less commonly chile
or chiefly British chilli
plural chilies also chiles or chilis or chiefly British chillies
1
a
or chili pepper
: a hot pepper of any of a group of cultivars (Capsicum annuum annuum group longum) noted for their pungency
b
chiefly British chilli
: a pepper whether hot or sweet
2
a
: a thick sauce of meat and chilies
liked to cover her spaghetti with red chili
b
: chili con carne
a bowl of chili
also
: a similar dish made without beef
vegetarian chili
seafood chili
Examples of chili in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Tequila Mango Chili – Pureed mango, a touch of blanco tequila, and a whisper of chili heat.
—
Emily Price, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Some chilis were spicy and smoky, others sweet, and there were vegetarian chilis while others were made with a variety of meats.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 June 2025
Load up on Costco’s black beans or garbanzo beans for blending into hummus or adding to salads or chili.
—Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2025
Wyoming’s wildlife agency, for example, traps and relocates conflict bears (or kills problem bears if allowed by the Fish and Wildlife Service), knocks on doors to calm nervous landowners, hands out bear spray, and reminds campers not to cook chili in their tents.
—Christine Peterson, Vox, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for chili
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.
Emily Price, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Some chilis were spicy and smoky, others sweet, and there were vegetarian chilis while others were made with a variety of meats.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 June 2025
Load up on Costco’s black beans or garbanzo beans for blending into hummus or adding to salads or chili.
—Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2025
Wyoming’s wildlife agency, for example, traps and relocates conflict bears (or kills problem bears if allowed by the Fish and Wildlife Service), knocks on doors to calm nervous landowners, hands out bear spray, and reminds campers not to cook chili in their tents.
—Christine Peterson, Vox, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for chili
Cite this Entry
“Chili.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chili. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share