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
Alma Avalle, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Feb. 2026
Eric Richins reportedly broke out in hives and struggled to breathe after eating the sandwich, used his son’s EpiPen and took Benadryl before falling asleep for hours.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 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
The method was also easier than washing and drying grapes before storage, and a brief rinse before eating removed any trace of vinegar flavor.
—Alma Avalle, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Feb. 2026
Eric Richins reportedly broke out in hives and struggled to breathe after eating the sandwich, used his son’s EpiPen and took Benadryl before falling asleep for hours.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for eating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eating
Adjective
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The Neighborhood Shares program is an initiative where every store donates 100 percent of its unsold products that are still safe and edible to local non-profit organizations.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
11 Feb. 2026
-
It’s harvested for its edible seeds, which are often eaten as a snack food.—
Clarence Schmidt,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Fiber intake, in particular, showed a strong association with longevity, while consuming lots of sugary beverages was linked to higher all-cause mortality.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
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What’s more, in athletes, typical signs of an eating disorder, such as training for long hours without appropriate breaks for meals or obsessing about only consuming certain healthy foods, can be overlooked due to the normalization of these behaviors in high-level sports.—
Emily Hemendinger,
The Conversation,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This has caused widespread confusion for voters and staff alike, disrupting service delivery and eroding the relationship between constituents and their representatives.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The continent’s eroding religious traditions and cultural loyalties, and its surging population of Muslim migrants, are a constant and gloomy obsession in Dreher’s posts.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Set across chef Carlo Cracco’s restaurant in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the venue includes an Omega Café by Cracco on the ground floor with private lounges and dining rooms above for live event screenings.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
7 Feb. 2026
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Deuxmoi showed pictures of McRae and Hughes dining at Anton’s in the West Village the month prior.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
One Florida resident reportedly hired a local mover without bothering to determine if the company was licensed, only to run into a boatload of trouble.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
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If your knee is bothering you, for instance, the vibration might distract your brain enough for the pain to temporarily retreat.—
Jennifer Heimlich,
Time,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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According to Science, this implies that a paste was deliberately applied, rather than the staining being a byproduct of chewing betel nuts for a euphoric high.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
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Nobody gave teeth the update that modern jaws are chewing less on wild game and more on applesauce, especially in their youth.—
Sara Kiley Watson,
Popular Science,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the meantime, the retreat from the potential ban on feeding doesn’t fix the friction over the cats Dieppa and other volunteers are feeding around the Kendall Lowe’s.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
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This slow cooker chili is the perfect go-to for cozy family dinners or feeding a hungry crowd at a gathering, delivering bold, hearty flavor with minimal effort.—
Maryal Miller Carter,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That thing’s been bugging on him for a while.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
29 Dec. 2025
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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 18 Feb. 2026.
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