diner

noun

din·​er ˈdī-nər How to pronounce diner (audio)
Synonyms of dinernext
1
: a person who dines (as in a restaurant) or who is dining
2
b
chiefly US : a typically small, informal, and inexpensive restaurant that has an extensive menu and that is often made from or designed to resemble a modified railroad dining car
had lunch at a roadside diner

Examples of diner in a Sentence

we'll just grab a quick hamburger at the local diner
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.
Some have posited that a man at the diner where the Soprano family met for a bite looked suspiciously like Davey, whose life was ruined by his childhood friend Tony. Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Dec. 2025 When an escaped Eleven finds her way to a diner (the image of a bald Brown in a hospital gown shoving fries into her mouth is indelible), Brenner’s team impersonates social services, kills the kind proprietor, but fails to apprehend her. Judy Berman, Time, 26 Dec. 2025 Give omakase a try The trend in which diners let the chef select a meal for them is definitely alive in the Bay Area, here are four places that offer it. Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025 Bristol's burgeoning foodie scene offers everything from old-school diners and burger joints to chic cafés and noodle bars. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 25 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for diner

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of diner was in 1815

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Cite this Entry

“Diner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diner. Accessed 28 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

diner

noun
din·​er ˈdī-nər How to pronounce diner (audio)
1
: one that dines
2
b
: a restaurant in the shape of a railroad car

More from Merriam-Webster on diner

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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