as in hierarchies
a series of types of living things in which each one uses the next lower member of the series as a source of food
Sharks eat fish that are lower in the food chain. animals that are at the top of the food chain
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Recent Examples of food chains
Freshwater melting from the Greenland ice sheet can weaken ocean currents in the North Atlantic, disrupting air and ocean temperature patterns and marine food chains.
—
Alexandra A Phillips, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2025
But also, increasingly, in marine food chains and immense garbage patches in the oceans.
—New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Fast food chains across the country are getting in the spooky season spirit with the return of Halloween buckets.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 7 Oct. 2025
Adding to that causes ocean acidification, which can disrupt marine food chains and reduce biodiversity.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025
Broadening the menu with less expensive options is also a way for chain restaurants to fight back against fast food chains, which are currently embroiled in a war amongst themselves, according to Maeve Webster, president of consulting firm Menu Matters.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025
As part of the airport’s nearly $4 billion Terminal 1 renovation project, local restaurants, cafes, fast food chains and specialty stores are landing inside.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
The buzziest beauty companies looked to grocery shelves and food chains for inspiration this year.
—Sonal Dutt, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Right now, convenience stores, liquor stores, bars and fast food chains line most of East Lancaseter.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Sep. 2025
Alexandra A Phillips, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2025
But also, increasingly, in marine food chains and immense garbage patches in the oceans.
—New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Fast food chains across the country are getting in the spooky season spirit with the return of Halloween buckets.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 7 Oct. 2025
Adding to that causes ocean acidification, which can disrupt marine food chains and reduce biodiversity.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025
Broadening the menu with less expensive options is also a way for chain restaurants to fight back against fast food chains, which are currently embroiled in a war amongst themselves, according to Maeve Webster, president of consulting firm Menu Matters.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025
As part of the airport’s nearly $4 billion Terminal 1 renovation project, local restaurants, cafes, fast food chains and specialty stores are landing inside.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
The buzziest beauty companies looked to grocery shelves and food chains for inspiration this year.
—Sonal Dutt, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Right now, convenience stores, liquor stores, bars and fast food chains line most of East Lancaseter.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for food chains
Noun
-
Just as Italian Neorealism and Brazilian Cinema Novo once did, through his cinema, Walter’s inner space opens its doors horizontally, without agendas or hierarchies, so that all human emotion can converse within this personal yet collective space.—
Alejandro González Iñárritu,
Deadline,
15 Oct. 2025
-
There is so much to explore in that space between imagination and reality—interacting with a person and with their works, the various hierarchies and hopes.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Broncos have had fewer play-clock issues the past couple of weeks, and Payton really believes different groupings, frequent substitutions and lots of different looks are a net positive.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
15 Oct. 2025
-
When in a forest, stay in proximity to shorter tree groupings.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In 2018, one of the execs announcing Goldstine’s exit was then-Universal Filmed Entertainment chairman Jeff Shell, who subsequently rose up the ranks to become NBCUniversal CEO.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The organization, which counts about a million scouts in its ranks, offers hundreds of merit badges spanning everything from fishing to fingerprinting.—
Gordon Ebanks,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Food chains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/food%20chains. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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