1
as in consumed
to take in as food
having gone all day without food, we greedily ate the hamburgers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in eroded
to consume or wear away gradually
the pot's protective coating was eaten away by the acid
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dined
to take a meal
where's the best place to eat in this town?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in annoyed
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
it really eats me the way people go to national parks to enjoy nature—and then leave their litter behind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ate
On one day in late December, Eden barely ate all day.
—
Angela Andaloro, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025
While neither is an effective big league pitcher at this point, those moves ate into the Yankees’ limited rotation depth.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
Some theologians argued that Adam and Eve, as well as all the animals in the Garden of Eden, ate only plants.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 4 Aug. 2025
Modest renovations accomplished that goal — the space pulses with history and nostalgia as old photos hint at how, decades ago, neighbors ate and drank shoulder to shoulder here.
—Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 10 Apr. 2025
In testing, 75% of users ate a greater variety of plants than before using the app.
—Nicki Sprinz, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Pigs and other animals brought to the island also ate dodo eggs.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
One study found that men who ate whole eggs immediately after resistance exercise experienced greater post-exercise muscle protein synthesis rates than men who consumed egg whites.
—Jillian Kubala, Rd, Health, 25 Feb. 2025
The Knicks had a good test in front of them and apparently just ate the Scantron instead of filling it out.
—Zach Harper, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Angela Andaloro, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025
While neither is an effective big league pitcher at this point, those moves ate into the Yankees’ limited rotation depth.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
Some theologians argued that Adam and Eve, as well as all the animals in the Garden of Eden, ate only plants.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 4 Aug. 2025
Modest renovations accomplished that goal — the space pulses with history and nostalgia as old photos hint at how, decades ago, neighbors ate and drank shoulder to shoulder here.
—Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 10 Apr. 2025
In testing, 75% of users ate a greater variety of plants than before using the app.
—Nicki Sprinz, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Pigs and other animals brought to the island also ate dodo eggs.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
One study found that men who ate whole eggs immediately after resistance exercise experienced greater post-exercise muscle protein synthesis rates than men who consumed egg whites.
—Jillian Kubala, Rd, Health, 25 Feb. 2025
The Knicks had a good test in front of them and apparently just ate the Scantron instead of filling it out.
—Zach Harper, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ate
Verb
-
Sometime in the mid-sixties, Sam brought home a coffee-table book about astrology, and Linda became consumed by it, launching into a self-education that approached mania.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
In addition to being harmful to humans, certain types of mushrooms can be poisonous to pets if consumed.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
While Google canceled its plan to fully deprecate third-party cookies in Chrome, opting instead for a user-choice model, the signal has already been significantly eroded.—
John Readman,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Corbett says that deputy gangs do not exist in the department, that in the past cliques and subgroups have existed, and that focus on the issue has eroded public trust and deputies’ morale.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Daily News,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Following the exhibition, guests dined at Trattoria Cammillo, a family-run restaurant serving traditional Tuscan cuisine with courses of homemade pasta and classic regional dishes.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
-
Its famed 19th-century patrons included the writers Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle, who dined among rolling carving trolleys—which, in fact, were quietly gliding in the background to prevent disturbing the country’s top chess players, the venue being the sport’s British center at the time.—
Ming Liu,
Robb Report,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Ever been annoyed after Windows setup that your user folder has a weird name?—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2026
-
When people get their interest rate wrong, they get annoyed.—
Sam Sammane,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
The moment marks the point of no return, as Clark forces his therapist to affirm him, abandoning any possibility of growth—Clark is devoured by his own worst self.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
An unusual collection of stars may represent the remnants of a dwarf galaxy that the Milky Way devoured about 10 billion years ago.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Larimer County officials said the ditch runs behind homes and is fed by the Cache la Poudre River.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
Much of the freak-out was fed by polls supposedly showing Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco atop the field.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Even as Dylan maneuvers weightier situations like romantic rejection, or the uncertainty of a new leadership position, or feeling bothered that a promising student decides to turn her back on poetry, the actress brings a sense of humanity while embracing her character’s flaws.—
Candice Frederick,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
-
Gilgeous-Alexander, smothered and bothered, was a minus-13 in the period.—
William Guillory,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Going into Tuesday’s game, the Diamondbacks had feasted on left-handed pitching.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
3 June 2026
-
Arteta and Arsenal have also had to withstand almighty pressure and a media that have feasted on every one of their stumbles.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ate. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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