doughnut

noun

dough·​nut ˈdō-(ˌ)nət How to pronounce doughnut (audio)
variants or less commonly donut
1
: a small usually ring-shaped piece of sweet fried dough
2
: something (such as a mathematical torus) that has a round shape like a doughnut
3
: a controlled skid that sends an automobile into a tight circle of at least 360 degrees
usually used in the phrase do doughnuts
Doing doughnuts? You haven't heard about this? This is what they steal the cars for. Top speed, they slam on the brakes, yank the emergency brake, twist the steering wheel, and the car starts spinning. Wheeling the car in circles at tremendous speeds.Philip Roth
doughnutlike adjective

Examples of doughnut in a Sentence

drawing doughnuts in the sand
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.
Here's how to get a free Krispy Kreme doughnut on July 4. Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 4 July 2025 For instance, some popular brands contain as much sugar as a doughnut. Fred Sassani, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 To celebrate the Fourth, the coffee and doughnut chain also launched a new Stars, Stripes & Sweetness Collection featuring three limited-time doughnuts: Freedom Ring doughnut: Glazed doughnut dipped in white icing, blue sprinkles and white stars. Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 2 July 2025 More than a dozen lawsuits have been filed since against the doughnut giant. Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for doughnut

Word History

Etymology

dough + nut entry 1 (in sense "rounded cake or biscuit," as in ginger nut, spice nut)

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of doughnut was in 1782

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doughnut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doughnut. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

doughnut

noun
dough·​nut
variants also donut
-(ˌ)nət
1
: a small ring of sweet dough fried in fat
2
: something resembling a doughnut especially in shape

More from Merriam-Webster on doughnut

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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