ingest

verb

in·​gest in-ˈjest How to pronounce ingest (audio)
ingested; ingesting; ingests

transitive verb

: to take in for or as if for digestion
ingestible adjective
ingestive adjective

Examples of ingest in a Sentence

The drug is more easily ingested in pill form. claims that the average person ingests considerably more calories than is necessary or desirable
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.
Vaccines contain tiny amounts of aluminum that are comparable to what infants ingest through breast milk or formula. Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2025 The benzoquinones in those secretions are pungent to parasites and mosquitoes, and lemurs sometimes also ingest small amounts, suggesting a mix of topical repellent and internal deworming. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025 Water does not have to be boiled for handwashing, bathing and laundry purposes, but residents should be careful not to ingest it. Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 16 Oct. 2025 While this is partly true, an international team of archaeologists, geneticists, and chemists are confident that hominids have ingested the metal at various times over millions of years. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ingest

Word History

Etymology

Latin ingestus, past participle of ingerere to carry in, from in- + gerere to bear

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ingest was in 1620

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ingest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ingest. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

ingest

verb
in·​gest in-ˈjest How to pronounce ingest (audio)
: to take in for or as if for digestion
ingestion noun

Medical Definition

ingest

transitive verb
in·​gest in-ˈjest How to pronounce ingest (audio)
: to take in for or as if for digestion

More from Merriam-Webster on ingest

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!