processed

adjective

pro·​cessed ˈprä-ˌsest How to pronounce processed (audio)
ˈprō-,
-səst
: having been subjected to a special process or treatment (as in the course of manufacture)
Just as processed food has been robbed of its nutrients, processed hair has been robbed of much of its health.Essence
The mythical fountain of youth now is filled with white tea. The pale, minimally processed Chinese tea is being pitched as the next great thing for drinking and as a cosmetics ingredient.The Grand Rapids (Michigan) Press
The main dietary sources of sodium are common salt used in cooking and for seasoning and especially the increased amount of sodium compounds used in processed foods.Sue Rodwell Williams

Examples of processed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Or consume more fiber, such as high-fiber fruits and whole grains, and eat less processed and sugary foods, including baked goods and sweets. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 26 Sep. 2024 Meat isn’t uniformly bad for you; red and processed types seem to be the worst offenders. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 1 July 2024 That’s because red and processed meats are linked to a wide variety of chronic health issues like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes that can cut your lifespan short. Lisa Rapaport, EverydayHealth.com, 12 Aug. 2024 Other risk factors that contributed to cancer cases at a lesser degree include eating red and processed meat; low consumption of fruits and vegetables; and infections with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and human papillomavirus (HPV), according to researchers. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 16 July 2024 Similar to driving or riding in a car, flying in a plane, or sipping a glass of wine with dinner a few times each week, eating processed meat is a calculated risk. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2024 People whose diets consisted of more trans fats, sodium, red and processed meats had lower odds of healthy aging. Shiv Sudhakar, NBC News, 2 July 2024 But the main reason is likely that red and processed meats are just so bad for you that replacing them with virtually any other protein source is probably better. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 1 July 2024 No processed or frozen food ever goes into any of the meals here. Johann Hari, TIME, 9 May 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'processed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of processed was in 1876

Dictionary Entries Near processed

Cite this Entry

“Processed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/processed. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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