eat

1 of 2

verb

ˈēt 

ate ˈāt 

dialectal or British ˈet

; eaten ˈē-tᵊn  ; eating; eats

transitive verb

1

: to take in through the mouth as food : ingest, chew, and swallow in turn

2

a

: to destroy, consume, or waste by or as if by eating

Marketing expenses were eating into the profits.

gadgets that eat up too much space

tides eating away the shoreline

b

: to bear the expense of : take a loss on

The team was forced to eat the rest of his contract.

3

a

: to consume gradually : corrode

cars eaten away by rust

b

: to consume with vexation : bother

What's eating you now?

4

: to enjoy eagerly or avidly : lap

—used with up

It was an amazing performance and the crowd ate it up.

5

usually vulgar : to perform fellatio or cunnilingus on

—often used with out

intransitive verb

1

: to take food or a meal see also eat up

2

: to affect something by gradual destruction or consumption

—usually used with into, away, or at

The loss was really eating at her.

The controversy ate into his support.

eater noun

plural eaters

see also eat alive, eat one out of house and home, eat one's heart out, eat one's words, eat out of one's hand, eat someone's lunch

eat

2 of 2

noun

: something to eat : food

—usually used in plural

Synonyms of eat

Verb

• consume

Noun

• food
• provisions
• bread
• meat

Examples of eat in a Sentence

Verb

You'll feel better if you eat something.

I ate a big breakfast so I'm not very hungry.

They like to eat at home.

Noun

there are some good eats at the buffet table

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Miami took control from there, with the power running combo of Fletcher and Brown paving the way, eating five minutes of game clock and going back up by 10 points with 55 seconds left. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026

Our food choices in our thirties can impact our disease risk down the line, as shown in recent research that found those who eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, and legumes in early adulthood are more likely to enter their seventies free of chronic diseases. —Emma Loewe, Outside, 1 Jan. 2026

Noun

Here's to a year of sights, eats, new and old friends, and more than a few laughs. —Erika Owen, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2026

Leave it to the Test Kitchen to turn Grandpa's favorite cabbage rolls into a can't-just-eat-one-bowl soup. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English eten, from Old English etan; akin to Old High German ezzan to eat, Latin edere, Greek edmenai

Noun

Middle English et, from Old English ǣt; akin to Old High German āz food; derivative from the root of eat entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing eat

• dog-eat-dog
• eat a horse
• eat crow
• eat dust
• eat/have someone or something for lunch
• eat humble pie
• eat light
• eat out of someone's hand
• eat right
• eat someone's or something's lunch
• eat up
• eat up/run out/kill the clock
• have one's cake and eat it
• have one's cake and eat it too
• I'll eat my hat

Rhymes for eat

• beat
• beet
• bleat
• cheat
• cleat
• creat
• deet
• feat
• feet
• fleet
• greet
• heat

Kids Definition

eat

verb

ˈēt

ate

ˈāt

; eaten

ˈēt-ᵊn

; eating

1

: to take into the mouth and swallow food : chew and swallow in turn

2

: to have a meal

eat at home

3

: to destroy as if by eating : wear away

rocks eaten away by waves

4

: to affect something by destroying or using up bit by bit

acid eating into metal

5

: to enjoy with excitement

the audience ate the show up

eater noun

Medical Definition

eat

verb

ˈēt 

ate

ˈāt, chiefly British ˈet

; eaten ˈēt-ᵊn  ; eating

transitive verb

1

: to take in through the mouth as food : ingest, chew, and swallow in turn

2

: to consume gradually : corrode

intransitive verb

: to take food or a meal