masticate

verb

Save Word

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

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

Keep scrolling for more

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 And dogs have been known to yap and masticate their displeasure. — Washington Post, "Trump, beware: Americans have a deep, enduring love for the Postal Service," 28 Aug. 2020 There’s something utterly satisfying about masticating all that fiber manually. — Jessica Jones, M.s., R.d.n., SELF, "9 Quick Meals I’m Throwing Together Lately Because Cooking During the Pandemic Is a Scam," 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, "Juicing machines that help make fruits and vegetables tastier," 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, "Human Genome Recovered From 5,700-Year-Old Chewing Gum," 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, "A Road Trip Through Auvergne’s Natural Wineries and Charming Bistros," 11 Nov. 2019 That’s a lot to chew on, and Rushdie masticates it with his usual maximalist exuberance. — BostonGlobe.com, "Salman Rushdie’s ‘Quichotte’ reroutes a legendary journey through the 21st century - The Boston Globe," 13 Sep. 2019 Our teeth and gut weren't designed to masticate and digest real food, no sirree. — Christine Lennon, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Hunger Games," 11 June 2012 Shortly after this piece publishes, a host of my McWopKraut kin will be masticating dehydrated meals on Rainier’s mighty shoulders. — Marc Peruzzi, Outside Online, "I Was the First! (And Probably the Only)," 24 Apr. 2018

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.