as in food
substances intended to be eaten
there are some good eats at the buffet table
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in consumes
to take in as food
having gone all day without food, we greedily ate the hamburgers
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in erodes
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 dines
to take a meal
where's the best place to eat in this town?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in annoys
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 eats
Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
But no need to call in the food critics this year—the Golden Globes eats seemed to pass the taste test.
—Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
But everybody eats…from the drug dealers down on the corner to the CEOs of companies.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
Usually, Phil eats at the ADA-compliant low seat at the end of the counter that’s almost always unused.
—Joel Stein, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
This season, the third-year Miami Heat swingman is making sure that everyone eats.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
The slug eats algae, turns bright green, and spends the rest of its life converting light, water, and air into sugar, like a leaf.
—The Atlantic Science Desk, The Atlantic, 27 Dec. 2025
But Stan eats his breakfasts here at The Echo.
—Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Dec. 2025
The hardness of the food and the strength of the beak also influence what a bird eats.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2025
Verb
There’s the direct cost of the raises, but also the related growth of the city’s pension shortfall, which increasingly eats further into the budget, as reported by the U-T’s Garrick.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
But no need to call in the food critics this year—the Golden Globes eats seemed to pass the taste test.
—Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
But everybody eats…from the drug dealers down on the corner to the CEOs of companies.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
Usually, Phil eats at the ADA-compliant low seat at the end of the counter that’s almost always unused.
—Joel Stein, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
This season, the third-year Miami Heat swingman is making sure that everyone eats.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
The slug eats algae, turns bright green, and spends the rest of its life converting light, water, and air into sugar, like a leaf.
—The Atlantic Science Desk, The Atlantic, 27 Dec. 2025
But Stan eats his breakfasts here at The Echo.
—Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Dec. 2025
The hardness of the food and the strength of the beak also influence what a bird eats.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eats
Verb
-
Explaining how a system works consumes attention that customers cannot spare.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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Owing to this, cornstarch production also consumes vast amounts of water and relies heavily on the use of fertilizers and pesticides.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Confidence erodes, even when results look strong.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Although anger may blow over when the argument is over, the impact of hostile language stays with your partner and erodes the foundation of trust and safety in your relationship.—
Molly Burrets,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Khabouth, who has met Bichette, says that roughly half the team regularly dines at Animl, which sits just a block and a half from the stadium, often stopping by after games.—
Denny Alfonso,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
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As the director of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, in Avondale, Maynard often dines in neighborhoods close to work, including Northside and Clifton.—
Keith Pandolfi,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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One of its two young sibling protagonists, Amber (Bianca Belle), channels her feelings about the recent death of her mother into drawings of creatures born out of her troubled imagination, some of whom enact violence against the classmate who annoys her.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
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There's just one thing about Claire Danes that annoys Matthew Rhys.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
22 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But in Washington, politics devours everything, even the sacred.—
Tara Palmeri,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
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Gratitude requires perspective, but perpetual outrage devours perspective.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
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What's more, the fiber in beans feeds beneficial gut bacteria.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
28 Jan. 2026
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This difference in temperature between the warm air over the water and cold Arctic air over the land is the fuel that feeds nor'easters.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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People don’t think this bothers me.—
Safiyah Riddle,
Fortune,
26 Jan. 2026
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At one point, Bryan Freedman, an attorney for Baldoni and the Wayfarer Studios defendants, asked Lively if negative publicity bothers her.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There’s another distinctly New York habit that irritates Manville — at the end of the performances, theatergoers leap to their feat, not just to applaud, but to whip out their cellphones to record the curtain call.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
16 Jan. 2026
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Somehow, this irritates Helen even more.—
Sadia Shepard,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Eats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eats. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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