fatten

verb

fat·​ten ˈfa-tᵊn How to pronounce fatten (audio)
fattened; fattening fa-tə-niŋ How to pronounce fatten (audio)
ˈfat-niŋˈ

transitive verb

1
a
: to make fat, fleshy, or plump
especially : to feed (an animal) for slaughter
b
: to make more substantial
2
: to make fertile

intransitive verb

: to become fat
fattener
ˈfa-tə-nər How to pronounce fatten (audio)
ˈfat-nər
noun

Examples of fatten in a Sentence

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.
Which means hummingbirds are still fattening themselves up for their migration across the Gulf of Mexico. Joyce Orlando, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Sep. 2025 Marine heatwaves also occurred in 2018 and 2019 during the summer months, when whales fatten up on krill to prepare for the rest of the year, according to NOAA. Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025 While the majority of American beef is produced domestically, the US routinely imports young cattle from Mexico to fatten up in American feedlots, says David Anderson, a professor and livestock economist at Texas A&M University. Bloomberg, Oc Register, 6 Aug. 2025 Deep down, the Padres had to know their talent margins weren’t trophy-worthy. Preller, going on one of his heaters, fattened those margins Thursday. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fatten

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fatten was circa 1552

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Cite this Entry

“Fatten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fatten. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

fatten

verb
fat·​ten ˈfat-ᵊn How to pronounce fatten (audio)
fattened; fattening ˈfat-niŋ How to pronounce fatten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to make or become fat
fattener noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fatten

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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