1
a(1)
: the soft, succulent part of a fruit usually composed of mesocarp
(2)
: stem pith when soft and spongy
b
: a soft mass of vegetable matter (as of apples) from which most of the water has been extracted by pressure
c
: the soft sensitive tissue that fills the central cavity of a tooth see tooth illustration
d
: a material prepared by chemical or mechanical means from various materials (such as wood or rags) for use in making paper and cellulose products
2
: pulverized ore mixed with water
3
a
: pulpy condition or character
b
: something in such a condition or having such a character
4
: a magazine or book printed on cheap paper (such as newsprint) and often dealing with sensational material
also
: sensational or tabloid writing
—often used attributively
pulp fiction
pulped; pulping; pulps
1
: to reduce to pulp
pulped unsold copies of the book
2
: to cause to appear pulpy
3
: to deprive of the pulp
: to become pulp or pulpy
pulper
noun
Synonyms
Examples of pulp in a Sentence
Noun
The fruit has sweet, juicy pulp and hard, black seeds.
the pulp of an orange
I like to strain the pulp out of my orange juice.
The grain was mashed into pulp.
The boxes will be turned back into pulp and be made into newspapers.
This paper is made from inexpensive wood pulp.
He made a little extra money by writing stories for a science fiction pulp.
Verb
pulped three oranges to get their juice
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 13 Aug. 2023
Christie’s murder mysteries featuring her famously fastidious hero were always one part brain teasers, one part primo pulp fiction, and several parts social caricaturing of the snobby rich, the high-society rotten, the rough-hewn working-class, and a variety of recognizable odds-and-sods types.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2023
Rinse the seeds in water, separate from the pulp, and pat dry with paper towels.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2023
But threatening to beat the pulp out of each other represents a new – if not bizarre – form of one-upmanship for the two men.
—Kristen Barber, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2023
Gently pour out the water along with tomato pulp and any seeds that float.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Aug. 2023
In addition to these key ingredients, Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Chicken & Veggies Recipe Dry Dog Food also contains other wholesome components such as brown rice, peas, and beet pulp.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 17 Aug. 2023
Potato pulp is rich in Vitmain B6 and C, which are great for combating dull, aging skin.
—ELLE, 7 Aug. 2023
The hollowed out pulp can be used in salads, salsas, etc.
—Rita Nader Heikenfeld, The Enquirer, 4 Aug. 2023
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 27 June 2023
The little ticket-taker in everyone longs for hiatus, release, the distant crash of buildings tumbling down, perhaps even not so distant, but just far enough away to still keep safe while last century’s rubble is pulped.
—Jessi Jezewska Stevens, Harper's Magazine, 14 Sep. 2022
In the basement of the Syayvo book store in Kyiv, hundreds of Russian language books stand piled, waiting to be pulped.
—Guy Davies, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2023
Elephants sway from side to side, orcas grind their teeth to pulp against concrete walls.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 7 Aug. 2021
The tool wipes away pulp from the inside, outside and bottom of the cutting blade in one swipe, while protecting your fingers.
—Nicole Papantoniou, Good Housekeeping, 7 July 2022
In the eighteen-sixties, a tiny aphid-like bug called phylloxera migrated from California to Europe, nearly pulping the French wine industry; in the nineteen-fifties, Panama disease eradicated the world’s favorite variety of banana, the Gros Michel.
—Kate Brown, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2020
Condé Nast personally fired him, and Vogue pulped all 130,000 copies.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 14 Mar. 2020
Approximately 70 million tons of this stuff is pulped every year, but most of it is burned for fuel.
—Troy Farah, Ars Technica, 20 Jan. 2020
See More
Noun
The inclusion of beet pulp and pea fiber aids in promoting healthy digestion and regular bowel movements.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 13 Aug. 2023
Christie’s murder mysteries featuring her famously fastidious hero were always one part brain teasers, one part primo pulp fiction, and several parts social caricaturing of the snobby rich, the high-society rotten, the rough-hewn working-class, and a variety of recognizable odds-and-sods types.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2023
Rinse the seeds in water, separate from the pulp, and pat dry with paper towels.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2023
But threatening to beat the pulp out of each other represents a new – if not bizarre – form of one-upmanship for the two men.
—Kristen Barber, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2023
Gently pour out the water along with tomato pulp and any seeds that float.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Aug. 2023
In addition to these key ingredients, Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Chicken & Veggies Recipe Dry Dog Food also contains other wholesome components such as brown rice, peas, and beet pulp.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 17 Aug. 2023
Potato pulp is rich in Vitmain B6 and C, which are great for combating dull, aging skin.
—ELLE, 7 Aug. 2023
The hollowed out pulp can be used in salads, salsas, etc.
—Rita Nader Heikenfeld, The Enquirer, 4 Aug. 2023
Verb
Imagine a literary world without public libraries, without a New York Public Library or a Library of Congress as all-embracing book collections, in which the sole arbiters of what’s kept and what’s pulped are the publishers themselves—or the conglomerates that take them over.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 27 June 2023
The little ticket-taker in everyone longs for hiatus, release, the distant crash of buildings tumbling down, perhaps even not so distant, but just far enough away to still keep safe while last century’s rubble is pulped.
—Jessi Jezewska Stevens, Harper's Magazine, 14 Sep. 2022
In the basement of the Syayvo book store in Kyiv, hundreds of Russian language books stand piled, waiting to be pulped.
—Guy Davies, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2023
Elephants sway from side to side, orcas grind their teeth to pulp against concrete walls.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 7 Aug. 2021
The tool wipes away pulp from the inside, outside and bottom of the cutting blade in one swipe, while protecting your fingers.
—Nicole Papantoniou, Good Housekeeping, 7 July 2022
In the eighteen-sixties, a tiny aphid-like bug called phylloxera migrated from California to Europe, nearly pulping the French wine industry; in the nineteen-fifties, Panama disease eradicated the world’s favorite variety of banana, the Gros Michel.
—Kate Brown, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2020
Condé Nast personally fired him, and Vogue pulped all 130,000 copies.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 14 Mar. 2020
Approximately 70 million tons of this stuff is pulped every year, but most of it is burned for fuel.
—Troy Farah, Ars Technica, 20 Jan. 2020
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pulp.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English pulpe, from Latin pulpa flesh, pulp
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)
Verb
1683, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of pulp was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing pulp
Dictionary Entries Near pulp
Cite this Entry
“Pulp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pulp. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
pulp
1 of 2 noun1
a
: the soft juicy or fleshy part of a fruit or vegetable
the pulp of an apple
b
: a mass of vegetable matter from which the juice or moisture has been squeezed
pulp left in orange juice
2
: the soft sensitive tissue that fills the central cavity of a tooth
3
: a material prepared chiefly from wood but also from other materials (as rags) and used in making paper products
4
: pulpy state
beaten to a pulp
5
: a magazine or book on cheap paper and often dealing with sensational material
pulp
2 of 2 verb
: to make into a pulp
pulper
noun
Medical Definition
pulp
noun
: a mass of soft tissue: as
a
b
: the characteristic somewhat spongy tissue of the spleen
c
: the fleshy portion of the fingertip
More from Merriam-Webster on pulp
Nglish: Translation of pulp for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of pulp for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pulp
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share