eat

verb

Save Word

\ ˈēt

ate\ ˈāt

, dialectal or British ˈet \; eaten\ ˈē-tᵊn

\; eating

Definition of eat

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to take in through the mouth as food : ingest, chew, and swallow in turn

2a : to destroy, consume, or waste by or as if by eating expenses ate up the profits gadgets that eat up too much space

b : to bear the expense of : take a loss on the team was forced to eat the rest of his contract

3a : to consume gradually : corrode cars eaten away by rust

b : to consume with vexation : bother what's eating you now

4 : to enjoy eagerly or avidly : lap —used with upit was an amazing performance and the crowd ate it up

5 usually vulgar : to perform fellatio or cunnilingus on —often used with out

intransitive verb

1 : to take food or a meal

2 : to affect something by gradual destruction or consumption —usually used with into, away, or atthe loss was really eating at herthe controversy ate into his support

eat alive

: to defeat, conquer, or overwhelm completely : crush was eaten alive by the competition

eat one out of house and home

: to consume more than one can easily provide or afford

eat one's heart out

1 : to grieve bitterly

2 : to be jealous

eat one's words

: to retract what one has said

eat out of one's hand

: to accept the domination of another

eat someone's lunch

: to deprive of profit, dominance, or success

eat

noun

Definition of eat (Entry 2 of 2)

: something to eat : food —usually used in plural

Other Words from eat Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about eat

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of eat in a Sentence

Verb You'll feel better if you eat something. I ate a big breakfast so I'm not very hungry. They like to eat at home.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Eating it: Some folks spoon directly into their mouths. — Ann Maloney, NOLA.com, "Cajun Caviar? On National Caviar Day, we indulge in Atchafalaya fish eggs," 19 July 2017 New this year to True Nature is a retreat for those with eating disorders and their family members. — Plain Dealer Guest Writer, cleveland.com, "Ohio retreat centers offer a break from busy, close to home (photos)," 19 July 2017 However hot dogs may have originated, the council estimates Americans will eat 7 billion of them between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day. — Don Sweeney, sacbee, "It’s National Hot Dog Day! So, where are the deals?," 19 July 2017 In fact, a recent survey showed that 36% of Chick-fil-A dinner customers take their meal to go from restaurants to eat at home. — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "Chick-fil-A Is About to Make Picking Up Dinner Easy and Delicious," 19 July 2017 The casual restaurant and bar also offers an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet at 8 a.m. Sundays. — Vickie Snow Jurkowski, Daily Southtown, "Simple cocktail or meal in a glass, the Bloody Mary can be the cure for what ails you," 19 July 2017 Miami was last in the NFL at 57 plays per game last season partly because the offense didn’t convert effectively on third downs, but also because the porous run defense allowed opponents to eat up the clock. — Chris Perkins, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Countdown to training camp: Can Burke turn last year’s so-so defense into a top unit? | Analysis," 19 July 2017 Parents and their children can bring a lunch to eat during the program. — Michelle Mullins, Naperville Sun, "This Week in Naperville," 18 July 2017 Hammerhead worms contain the same toxin as blowfish and can be harmful if eaten. — Liz Langley, National Geographic, "Watch a Mysterious Worm With an Anus for a Mouth," 15 July 2017 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Gamblers will also be able to dig into additional side bets, including wagering on whether there will be an eat-off in the event of a tie. — Jason Kurtz, CNN, "Gamblers can (legally) bet on the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest for the first time in the July Fourth event's history," 4 July 2020 The spacious eat-in kitchen has granite counters, maple cabinets, cherry crown moldings, stainless steel appliances including a wine cooler. — cleveland, "1994 Life Magazine Dream House replica in Chagrin Falls: House of the Week," 26 June 2020 The theater is known for its inventive eats, like cheese curds and tenderloins on soft pretzel buns. — Domenica Bongiovanni, Indianapolis Star, "You can go to drive-in movies now. Here's how theaters have changed to keep people safe.," 21 May 2020 At a time when hotels, resorts, and parks can’t be filled with guests, many businesses have followed in Hilton’s footsteps and released recipes for some of their most beloved eats and drinks. — Noah Kaufman, Condé Nast Traveler, "Our Favorite Hotels Released Their Top-Secret Recipes—And We Can’t Stop Making Them," 8 May 2020 Just one day after weighing themselves on Today with Hoda and Jenna, the duo kicked off today’s installment with their first eats of the day: an egg white omelet with spinach for Bush Hager and egg whites with avocado toast for Kotb. — Emily Abbate, Health.com, "Jenna Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb Said They Were 'Mad' After Weighing Themselves," 21 Nov. 2019 Here are our favorite ways to feature it in our eats. — Kari Sonde, Washington Post, "Fish sauce is the savory, funky MVP in these 10 recipes," 20 Nov. 2019 My eat-the-rich plan is simple and will bring about the economic justice so many Americans have longed for. — Rex Huppke, chicagotribune.com, "Column: Democratic debate distilled: Eat the billionaires, take Trump’s Twitter, free stuff for all!," 16 Oct. 2019 After all, Tsuki-Yomi was a much higher-ranking god than the goddess of eats. — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, "Mike Lynch: Multiple moon myths," 13 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'eat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.