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

Parents ship young children abroad; white-collar professionals become fast-food workers; migration cleaves young lovers. — Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026

Kempczinski, Anderson and the rest of the McDonald's executive team will have to win over investors, who are increasingly skeptical that the fast-food giant can win over diners in the near term. — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026

When the Clown opened, fast-food hamburger stands had not come to Fort Worth. — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Sep. 2026

This week's quiz highlights today's fast-food frenzy, a campaign controversy — and a lot more. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 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