as in treated
changed by humans or machines (as in manufacture) from its natural or original form
She's been avoiding processed foods.
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1
as in refined
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in reprocessed
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of processed
Amy Woodyatt, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Visible oil separation is normal and often a sign of a less processed, healthier peanut butter.
—Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 10 Sep. 2025
The idea is that highly processed and preservative-rich foods could cause inflammation and other adverse impacts in a way that an apple doesn’t, for example.
—Brian Mastroianni, Health, 21 Aug. 2025
Be moderate around sugar and cream, stay away from processed creamers, and don’t have too much.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 2 Aug. 2025
The second scale looked at how much people’s diets contributed to inflammation, with foods such as refined grains, high-calorie drinks and red and processed meat considered more inflammatory.
—Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 7 May 2025
This sentiment is reflected in explosive industry growth: exports of unprocessed and semi-processed gum have nearly tripled in the last three decades.
—Erik Zou, JSTOR Daily, 25 Apr. 2025
Last month, a committee issued its proposal, recommending that people eat more beans, peas and lentils as protein sources and decrease the consumption of processed and red meat.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 26 Jan. 2025
Among the others: Maintaining a healthy body weight; not consuming alcohol or consuming in moderation; eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, and low in red and processed meat; physical activity; and regular cancer screenings.
—Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
Excluding sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, obesity now exceeds underweight in all regions, researchers said, with ultra-processed and fast foods that are high in sugar, refined starch, salt, unhealthy fats and additives being targeted at and consumed by children.
—Amy Woodyatt, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Visible oil separation is normal and often a sign of a less processed, healthier peanut butter.
—Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 10 Sep. 2025
The idea is that highly processed and preservative-rich foods could cause inflammation and other adverse impacts in a way that an apple doesn’t, for example.
—Brian Mastroianni, Health, 21 Aug. 2025
Be moderate around sugar and cream, stay away from processed creamers, and don’t have too much.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 2 Aug. 2025
The second scale looked at how much people’s diets contributed to inflammation, with foods such as refined grains, high-calorie drinks and red and processed meat considered more inflammatory.
—Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 7 May 2025
This sentiment is reflected in explosive industry growth: exports of unprocessed and semi-processed gum have nearly tripled in the last three decades.
—Erik Zou, JSTOR Daily, 25 Apr. 2025
Last month, a committee issued its proposal, recommending that people eat more beans, peas and lentils as protein sources and decrease the consumption of processed and red meat.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 26 Jan. 2025
Among the others: Maintaining a healthy body weight; not consuming alcohol or consuming in moderation; eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, and low in red and processed meat; physical activity; and regular cancer screenings.
—Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for processed
Verb
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Schloss Johannisberg further refined its approach to harvesting, introducing Auslese in 1787, which meant selecting grapes even later in the season, especially those affected by botrytis.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
5 Oct. 2025
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The set finds her playing guitar, bass, violin and banjo, while singing songs that feel both raw with emotion yet refined in delivery.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
During her end-of-season media availability on Tuesday, Collier read a prepared statement.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
1 Oct. 2025
-
But as training camp opened on Tuesday, head coach Joe Mazzulla’s team sounded prepared to usher in a significant stylistic shift.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That list was filtered to 1,015 firms, and the finalists completed surveys to verify key details.—
Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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And indeed, this season’s lineup was a celebration of those roots, filtered through her refined lens.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In many studios, less than 5% of that material is ever reused, largely because finding and preparing it for production is slow, manual, and fragmented.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The students unite their understanding of inevitable bodily decay with literature that imagines the opposite – bodies that either don’t break down or can be reused.—
Molly Ryder Granatino,
The Conversation,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
American food giants like Walmart’s Great Value brand, General Mills, Kraft Heinz and more are pledging to remove additives like synthetic dyes, certain preservatives and artificial sweeteners from their foods.—
Stephen J. Beard,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Their methods—ruthless melodic math, brazenly artificial production, and an odd soft spot for reggae rhythms—helped define the world-conquering sound of Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Less pure sand can be purified by methods such as acid washing or magnetic separation.—
Aki Ishida,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
-
This innovation purified the Ohio River water so well that the number of deaths from typhoid fever declined by 60% in 1909.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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According to the brand, the bourbon was distilled in 2014 and 2015, initially aged in new charred oak, and then transferred to first-fill and second-fill port barrels for a total of up to three years of secondary maturation.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
2 Oct. 2025
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For those of us of a certain age, Heart the Lover is nostalgia distilled to black ink.—
Book Marks
September 25,
Literary Hub,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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North Texas’ defense was at or near the bottom of the conference each of the last two years, but Morris hired former Sam Houston defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity, who seems to have rectified the issue as the Mean Green are currently third in the conference in yards allowed per game.—
Sam Khan Jr,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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The audit called for those conflicting mandates to be rectified and suggested the monitor’s office could hire an outside attorney who does not work for the city.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Processed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/processed. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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