1
as in to consume
to take in as food
having gone all day without food, we greedily ate the hamburgers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to erode
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 to dine
to take a meal
where's the best place to eat in this town?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to bother
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of eat
In a 2023 study, researchers found that eating chili peppers regularly—at least four times per week—was linked with a 23 percent lower risk of dying of any cause compared with those who never or rarely ate chilis.
—
Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
The boys play and eat ice cream while this familiar song plays in the background.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 12 Sep. 2025
Vision may be impacted and the sufferer will demonstrate symptoms of dementia before, ultimately, losing the ability to perform basic functions like eating, swallowing and breathing.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
To eat, there are carne asada or mushroom empanadas ($8 each), mahi mahi skewers with mango habanero salsa ($20), buffalo meatballs ($16) or seabass ceviche and yucca chips ($18) – plus rosemary truffle fries ($9).
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for eat
Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
The boys play and eat ice cream while this familiar song plays in the background.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 12 Sep. 2025
Vision may be impacted and the sufferer will demonstrate symptoms of dementia before, ultimately, losing the ability to perform basic functions like eating, swallowing and breathing.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
To eat, there are carne asada or mushroom empanadas ($8 each), mahi mahi skewers with mango habanero salsa ($20), buffalo meatballs ($16) or seabass ceviche and yucca chips ($18) – plus rosemary truffle fries ($9).
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for eat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eat
Verb
-
Participants in the study who often consumed chilis also had a 34 percent lower chance of dying of cardiovascular disease.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
-
But his own research found that the countries with the lowest fracture rates are actually those that consume the least milk.—
Alana Semuels,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Chinese policymakers have intensified efforts aimed at reining in excessive price cuts that have eroded corporate profits while doing little to spur demand.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Higher prices risk eroding consumers’ purchasing power, and for those living paycheck to paycheck this can be quite painful.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In our case, the timing of the tides required us to head for port a day early, allowing for extra sightseeing time, to dine off the ship, and stretch our legs.—
Stefanie Waldek,
AFAR Media,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Tanha first met Mahomes in 2018, after the player dined at Toca Madera in West Hollywood.—
Jenna Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The women were too busy cooking, crafting, and caring for the family to bother with the stone tools used by men in hunting and building.—
Sarah Durn,
Popular Science,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Why ban books, Postman asked, if no one bothers to read them?—
Time,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Carbon credit monetization – Forward-looking companies are already earning credits by capturing and storing emissions, feeding into voluntary and compliance carbon markets.—
Peter Bendor-Samuel,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Hospitals can store medical records, lab results, imaging scans, and real time feeds from bedside monitors in a single hub.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Comments about my fast walk annoy me.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Keanu, still annoyed from the veto ceremony, talked to Ava Pearl in the HOH room and called Rachel a liar.—
David Wysong,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Rodents like to snack on many bulbs, so make sure they are protected from mice.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Stop to use the restroom and have a drink or snack at the rest area.—
Kendrick Marshall,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Fort Worth bed bugs The B-plot of Episode 7 has Peggy setting up a Little Free Library in her front yard in an effort to build community.—
Jake Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Aug. 2025
-
His not winning it was considered a failure, and that bugged him.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Eat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eat. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share