as in edible
suitable for use as food
crab apples are not actually eating apples
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in consuming
to take in as food
having gone all day without food, we greedily ate the hamburgers
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in eroding
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 dining
to take a meal
where's the best place to eat in this town?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bothering
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 eating
Chantelle Lee, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
There will also be a chicken wings eating contest from 1:30 to 2 p.m. and a burger eating contest from 4:30 to 5 p.m. Non-eating attractions include an artist alley, a communal mural, a family fun zone, a beer garden and two stages of live music.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
He could be seen eating seaweed in the kitchen of the Dead’s famous house in the neighborhood, chewing incredibly slowly.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for eating
Adjective
Another Internet-famous eating style is the keto diet, with minimal carbohydrates.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
There will also be a chicken wings eating contest from 1:30 to 2 p.m. and a burger eating contest from 4:30 to 5 p.m. Non-eating attractions include an artist alley, a communal mural, a family fun zone, a beer garden and two stages of live music.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
These cats can have trouble eating, drool, drop their dry food, and might occasionally even have bleeding from the mouth.
—Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
He could be seen eating seaweed in the kitchen of the Dead’s famous house in the neighborhood, chewing incredibly slowly.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for eating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eating
Adjective
-
At the Rancho Santa Fe Community Center this month, youngsters will hang out after school and make fun edible creations in cooking class.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Whether fruiting or not, these trees have small white flowers and glossy green leaves that add appeal to the garden, and their grape-sized fruits have thin, edible skin.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Here's what regularly consuming olive oil can do for the body, as explained by dietitians.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
10 Jan. 2026
-
For most people, consuming enough protein isn’t an issue, Taub-Dix said.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ride-hailing dominance is eroding consumer brand perception Market dynamics show that ride-hailing operators prioritize vehicles that deliver the strongest cost-to-performance ratio, often selecting models purely on economic efficiency.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Jan. 2026
-
But inflation and low interest rates end up eroding the value of household savings.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Tuck into a tasting menu at fine-dining hot spot Roselily.—
Sarah Cahalan,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
-
From barbecue to beer, coffee to crawfish, dining weeks to cultural festivals, there's something for everyone to enjoy.—
Jacob Wilt,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Try taking just 10 or 15 minutes at the same time each day to write out what's bothering you.—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
15 Jan. 2026
-
My stomach has been bothering me all day.—
Dave Skretta,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Across multiple studies, people who chewed gum did not remember lists of words or stories better than those who didn't, the researchers also found, and any boost in attention faded soon after chewing stopped.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
-
And despite that famous nursery rhyme, woodchucks don’t like wood but get labeled a pest because of their hole-digging and habit of chewing on flowers and vegetable garden plants.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For he had been given the task of coordinating the fishermen in charge of feeding the prospectors.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Reduced federal spending on health care and feeding programs for the needy stand to increase the pressure.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That thing’s been bugging on him for a while.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
29 Dec. 2025
-
Then Julian dropped one of his wireless earbuds into Olympia’s purse, using it as a crude bugging device.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Eating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eating. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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