masticate

verb

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mas·ti·cate | \ ˈma-stə-ˌkāt

masticated; masticating

Definition of masticate

transitive verb

1 : to grind or crush (food) with or as if with the teeth : chew The cows were masticating their food.

2 : to soften or reduce to pulp by crushing or kneading

intransitive verb

: chew

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Other Words from masticate Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About masticate

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Other Words from masticate

mastication \ ˌma-stə-ˈkā-shən

\ noun

masticator \ ˈma-stə-ˌkā-tər

\ noun

Examples of masticate in a Sentence

The cows were masticating their food. mindlessly masticated peanuts while watching the baseball game on TV

Recent Examples on the Web The only way to consume the stuff was to shove the entire string in your mouth and masticate the waxy nylon into an unsatisfying granular mass. — Star Tribune, 30 Apr. 2021 And dogs have been known to yap and masticate their displeasure. — Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2020 There’s something utterly satisfying about masticating all that fiber manually. — Jessica Jones, M.s., R.d.n., SELF, 15 Apr. 2020 This Omega machine is a cold press masticating juicer, which means the essential vitamins and enzymes are preserved in the process. — Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2020 For archaeologists, the sticky stuff’s longevity can help piece together the lives of ancient peoples who masticated on the chewy tar. — Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian, 17 Dec. 2019 The grass here looks good enough to eat—and indeed there are bushy, red Salers cattle masticating everywhere. — Stephen Heyman, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Nov. 2019 That’s a lot to chew on, and Rushdie masticates it with his usual maximalist exuberance. — BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2019 Our teeth and gut weren't designed to masticate and digest real food, no sirree. — Christine Lennon, Harper's BAZAAR, 11 June 2012 See More

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

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