fat

adjective

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\ ˈfat

fatter; fattest

Definition of fat

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : notable for having an unusual amount of fat:

a : plump a cute, fat little baby

b : having excessive body fat … a woman of medium height, a little plump but not fat …— Mary McCarthy

c of a meat animal : fattened for market

d of food : oily, greasy a fat, rich cheese

2a : well filled out : thick, big a fat book

b : full in tone and quality : rich a gorgeous fat bass voice — Irish Digest

c : well stocked a fat larder

d : prosperous, wealthy grew fat on the war — Time

e : being substantial and impressive a fat bank account

3a : richly rewarding or profitable a fat part in a movie a fat contract

b : practically nonexistent a fat chance

4 : productive, fertile a fat year for crops

5 informal : stupid, foolish " … if he had had any sense in his fat head, he would have done it long ago, dash him!"— P. G. Wodehouse

6 : being swollen got a fat lip from the fight

7 of a baseball pitch : easy to hit

fat

verb

fatted; fatting

Definition of fat (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

: to make fat : fatten

fat

noun

Definition of fat (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : animal tissue consisting chiefly of cells distended with greasy or oily matter

2a : oily or greasy matter making up the bulk of adipose tissue and often abundant in seeds

b : any of various compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that are glycerides of fatty acids, are the chief constituents of plant and animal fat, are a major class of energy-rich food, and are soluble in organic solvents but not in water

c : a solid or semisolid fat as distinguished from an oil

3 : the best or richest part

4 : obesity

5 : something in excess : superfluity trim the fat from the news operation— Ray Olson

Other Words from fat Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about fat

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Examples of fat in a Sentence

Adjective The dog is getting fat because you feed him too much. I can't believe I've let myself get so fat. a fat book of poems a truck with fat tires Noun people with excess body fat a diet and exercise program to help you gain muscle and lose fat Nuts contain a lot of fat. Trim the fat from the meat before you cook it. a diet low in fats fats like butter and olive oil trim the fat off the budget

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective In person Ray is fatter, with dark, puffy bags under his eyes. — Hillary Kelly, Los Angeles Times, "Review: The rich are still different in the South Bay novel ‘The Knockout Queen’," 21 Apr. 2020 That’s right, fat, or more precisely in this case, a unique lipid. — Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, "Combat the coronavirus blues by taking a walk in the woods and getting your hands dirty," 10 Apr. 2020 However, the Air Force’s design could end up saving Christma, as physics proves the existing sleigh moves too fast, exposing the jolly fat man and his eight reindeer to extreme danger. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The Air Force Redesigned Santa’s Sleigh for Hypersonic Speed," 23 Dec. 2019 Italy also has its own version of the jolly fat man. — National Geographic, "How Christmas is celebrated around the world," 23 Dec. 2019 Police were called shortly before 8 p.m. The would-be robber was described as a fat black man about 6 feet 1 inch tall, wearing black pants, gloves, beanie, mask and sunglasses. — Pauline Repard, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Gunman gives up on robbery try at taco shop," 5 Oct. 2019 But then, Thore's mood quickly dissipates after a man fat-shames her. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Whitney Way Thore Is Changing Reality TV for Fat Women," 29 Aug. 2019 Researchers found that as the creatures entered their semi-aquatic phase, the canals started to become fatter and smaller like those of whales and dolphins. — Amy Woodyatt, CNN, "Deadly ancient crocodiles imitated whales to dominate the oceans," 21 Apr. 2020 The spongy mixture, called poolish, makes the dough stretchable and adds a touch of acid that balances the fat and sweet flavors in the finished product. — Eric Velasco, al, "Take home perfect pastries from Bandit in Homewood," 7 Apr. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun When the pan is hot, add the oil and the chorizo and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until the chorizo begins to render some of its fat. — Jessica Battilana, SFChronicle.com, "Repertoire: Paella Fried Rice," 19 May 2020 His feet are fat, nearly square, with a thick pad on the sole and a layer of softness moving smoothly over the bones of the arch. — Katherine Dunn, The New Yorker, "The Resident Poet," 4 May 2020 Render your fat: sausage, bacon, hot dogs, whatever. — Dallas News, "Dallas chefs tell us their secret meals to make with what’s left on grocery store shelves," 3 Apr. 2020 There is substantial fat in major college football programs, where the growth of analysts and football-specific administrators has mushroomed in recent years. — oregonlive, "If the coronavirus forces colleges to cut athletic programs, what happens to track? Oregon track & field rundown," 1 Apr. 2020 The answer is a big fat yes, because this simple but crucial task can and will save lives. — Amanda Randone, refinery29.com, "Shop With Purpose: These Brands Are Giving Back In A Big Way," 1 Apr. 2020 There's almost no fat in this movie at all, and that cannot be said for the others. — Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Star Wars' Actor Greg Grunberg Pours Cold Water on 'Rise of Skywalker' Director's Cut," 20 Mar. 2020 To properly dye wool, a weaver must remove the lanolin fats from the textiles, which is accomplished far more easily with soap. — Cody Cassidy, Time, "Who Discovered Soap? What to Know About the Origins of the Life-Saving Substance," 5 May 2020 My old goals revolved around eliminating even the fat that was essential to my vital organ function. — Genevieve Angelson, refinery29.com, "In Quarantine, Confronting The Eating Disorder That Almost Killed Me," 4 May 2020

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

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Last Updated

9 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Fat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fat. Accessed 2 Jun. 2020.

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More Definitions for fat

fat

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of fat

(Entry 1 of 2)

: having a lot of extra flesh on your body : having a lot of body fat

: having a full, rounded form

: unusually wide or thick

fat

noun

English Language Learners Definition of fat (Entry 2 of 2)

: the soft flesh on the bodies of people and animals that helps keep the body warm and is used to store energy

: an oily solid or liquid substance in food

: an amount that is more than what is usual or needed

See the full definition for fat in the English Language Learners Dictionary

fat

adjective

\ ˈfat

fatter; fattest

Kids Definition of fat

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : having much body fat a fat pig

2 : thick entry 1 sense 1 a fat book

3 : richly rewarding or profitable He signed a fat contract.

4 : swollen up I fell and got a fat lip.

fat

noun

Kids Definition of fat (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : animal or plant tissue containing much greasy or oily material

2 : any of numerous compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that make up most of animal or plant fat and that are important to nutrition as sources of energy

3 : a solid fat as distinguished from an oil

4 : the best or richest part the fat of the land

fat

adjective

\ ˈfat

fatter; fattest

Medical Definition of fat

(Entry 1 of 2)

: notable for having an unusual amount of fat especially : fleshy with superfluous flabby tissue that is not muscle : obese

fat

noun

Medical Definition of fat (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : animal tissue consisting chiefly of cells distended with greasy or oily matter — see brown fat

2a : oily or greasy matter making up the bulk of adipose tissue

b : any of numerous compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that are glycerides of fatty acids, are the chief constituents of plant and animal fat, are a major class of energy-rich food, and are soluble in organic solvents (as ether) but not in water

c : a solid or semisolid fat as distinguished from an oil

3 : the condition of fatness : obesity

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