fast-food

adjective

ˈfas(t)-ˌfüd 

1

: of, relating to, or specializing in food that can be prepared and served quickly

a fast-food restaurant

2

: designed for ready availability, use, or consumption and with little consideration given to quality or significance

fast-food TV programming

fast food noun

Examples of fast-food in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Microplastics, each no larger than a grain of rice, are formed as throwaways such as water bottles, packaging and fast-food containers break down. — Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026

There, in the heart of SEC country, Seaton reportedly makes $4 million for pitching a national chain pharmacy, a fast-food restaurant, a personal finance firm and others. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

There were Sonic and Captain D’s cups on the floorboards, and fast-food bags stuffed behind the seats. — Kevin Griffin, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026

Also in the Brass Mill Commons, Raising Cane’s, a popular fast-food restaurant, is under construction in the space that was previously a TGI Friday’s. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fast-food

• accrued
• allude
• collude
• conclude
• construed
• debuted
• delude
• elude
• endued
• ensued
• eschewed
• etude

Kids Definition

fast-food

adjective

ˌfas(t)-ˌfüd

: specializing in food that can be prepared and served quickly

a fast-food restaurant