consume

verb

con·​sume kən-ˈsüm How to pronounce consume (audio)
consumed; consuming

transitive verb

1
: to do away with completely : destroy
Fire consumed several buildings.
2
a
: to spend wastefully : squander
consumed his inheritance on luxuries
b
: use up
Writing consumed much of his time.
3
a
: to eat or drink especially in great quantity
consumed several bags of pretzels
b
: to enjoy avidly : devour
… mysteries, which she consumes for fun …Eden Ross Lipson
4
: to engage fully : engross
consumed with curiosity
5
: to utilize as a customer
consume goods and services

intransitive verb

1
: to waste or burn away : perish
2
: to utilize economic goods

Examples of consume in a Sentence

The new lights consume less electricity. She's making an effort to live more simply and consume less. Hundreds of books were consumed in the fire.
Recent Examples on the Web If dogs consume too much oil, this can cause build-up in the gastrointestinal tract, according to the American Kennel Club. Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024 While they are generally recognized as safe to consume, some may choose to avoid these extras. Casey Seiden, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024 But most people consuming audiobooks on Spotify are doing so through premium streaming rather than as a purchase, breaking the traditional release model. Ariel Shapiro, The Verge, 15 Mar. 2024 But Gimple and McDermott argue that the decline in viewership was more a function of changes in the way audiences consume television, particularly with the onslaught of streaming services, than creative shortcomings. Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Instead, that’s when most kids get their first smartphone and sign themselves up (with or without parental permission) to consume rivers of content from random strangers. Jonathan Haidt, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2024 The social media furor over Nongfu Spring is helping its competitor Wahaha, as users share posts of themselves consuming Wahaha’s products with calls to support the brand over Nongfu. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 12 Mar. 2024 In contrast, food consumed away from home in the Bay Area hopped higher by 3.7%, the new report shows. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024 Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'consume.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French consumer, from Latin consumere, from com- + sumere to take up, take, from sub- up + emere to take — more at sub-, redeem

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of consume was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near consume

Cite this Entry

“Consume.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consume. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

consume

verb
con·​sume kən-ˈsüm How to pronounce consume (audio)
consumed; consuming
1
: to destroy by or as if by fire
2
: use up, spend
the search consumed most of our time
3
: to eat or drink up
consumed a whole gallon of ice cream
4
: to take up the interest or attention of
was consumed with curiosity
5
: to use as a customer
consume goods and services
consumable
-ˈsü-mə-bəl
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on consume

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