1
: something fed to domestic animals
especially
: coarse food for cattle, horses, or sheep
2
: inferior or readily available material used to supply a heavy demand
fodder for tabloids
This sort of breezy plot line has become cheap fodder for novelists and screenwriters …—
Sally Bedell
Sally Bedell
fodder
transitive verb
Examples of fodder in a Sentence
His antics always make good fodder for the gossip columnists.
She often used her friends' problems as fodder for her novels.
Recent Examples on the Web
Debates don’t always change the trajectory of the race, but candidates — particularly weeks out from an election — can benefit from a standout moment, which could offer fodder for late advertising, too.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 8 Oct. 2025
Farmhands in the distance are harvesting hay, not only to provide winter fodder for animals but also to destroy seedling trees and shrubs that might otherwise overgrow the area, while distant plumes of smoke suggest the possible burning of fields after harvest for the same reason.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Oct. 2025
In some ways, that question is secondary to the fact that Lot 49 grapples with the nature of symbology itself, and the way that symbols work in literature, which contributed to the novella as good syllabus fodder.
—Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
The Free Press has won fans, and created plenty of fodder for critics, with heterodox columns and features.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fodder
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Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 8 Oct. 2025
Farmhands in the distance are harvesting hay, not only to provide winter fodder for animals but also to destroy seedling trees and shrubs that might otherwise overgrow the area, while distant plumes of smoke suggest the possible burning of fields after harvest for the same reason.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Oct. 2025
In some ways, that question is secondary to the fact that Lot 49 grapples with the nature of symbology itself, and the way that symbols work in literature, which contributed to the novella as good syllabus fodder.
—Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
The Free Press has won fans, and created plenty of fodder for critics, with heterodox columns and features.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fodder
Cite this Entry
“Fodder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fodder. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fodder
noun
fod·der
ˈfäd-ər 
: coarse dry food (as cornstalks) for livestock
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