1
: a person who dines (as in a restaurant) or who is dining
2
a
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
In September, the burger diner chain, on social media, copped to being behind a billboard in Nashville, Tennessee, calling for the ouster of Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino.
—
Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 10 Oct. 2025
This family-run retro diner started as a soda fountain in the 1940s and expanded.
—Pat Tompkins, AFAR Media, 9 Oct. 2025
At one point, Ron walks into a diner in the throes of chaos.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
Because of her quick response, the diner was able to recover safely.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for diner
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Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 10 Oct. 2025
This family-run retro diner started as a soda fountain in the 1940s and expanded.
—Pat Tompkins, AFAR Media, 9 Oct. 2025
At one point, Ron walks into a diner in the throes of chaos.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
Because of her quick response, the diner was able to recover safely.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for diner
Cite this Entry
“Diner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diner. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
diner
noun
din·er
ˈdī-nər 
1
: one that dines
2
a
b
: a restaurant in the shape of a railroad car
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