eat
verb
\ ˈēt
\
\
ate\ ˈāt
, dialectal or British ˈet \;
eaten\ ˈē-tᵊn
\;
eating
, dialectal or British ˈet \;
eaten\ ˈē-tᵊn
\;
eating
Definition of eat
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: to take in through the mouth as food : ingest, chew, and swallow in turn
2a
: to destroy, consume, or waste by or as if by eating
expenses ate up the profits gadgets that eat up too much space
b
: to bear the expense of : take a loss on
the team was forced to eat the rest of his contract
3a
: 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
1
: to take food or a meal
2
: to affect something by gradual destruction or consumption
—usually used with into, away, or at the loss was really eating at herthe controversy ate into his support
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
: to defeat, conquer, or overwhelm completely : crush
was eaten alive by the competition
: to consume more than one can easily provide or afford
1
: to grieve bitterly
2
: to be jealous
: to retract what one has said
: to accept the domination of another
: to deprive of profit, dominance, or success
eat
nounDefinition of eat (Entry 2 of 2)
: something to eat : food
—usually used in plural
Keep scrolling for more
Synonyms for eat
Synonyms: Verb
consume, ingest, partake (of), put away, put down, tuck (away or in)
Visit the Thesaurus for More
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.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Eating it: Some folks spoon directly into their mouths. — Ann Maloney, NOLA.com, "Cajun Caviar? On National Caviar Day, we indulge in Atchafalaya fish eggs," 19 July 2017 New this year to True Nature is a retreat for those with eating disorders and their family members. — Plain Dealer Guest Writer, cleveland.com, "Ohio retreat centers offer a break from busy, close to home (photos)," 19 July 2017 However hot dogs may have originated, the council estimates Americans will eat 7 billion of them between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day. — Don Sweeney, sacbee, "It’s National Hot Dog Day! So, where are the deals?," 19 July 2017 In fact, a recent survey showed that 36% of Chick-fil-A dinner customers take their meal to go from restaurants to eat at home. — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "Chick-fil-A Is About to Make Picking Up Dinner Easy and Delicious," 19 July 2017 The casual restaurant and bar also offers an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet at 8 a.m. Sundays. — Vickie Snow Jurkowski, Daily Southtown, "Simple cocktail or meal in a glass, the Bloody Mary can be the cure for what ails you," 19 July 2017 Miami was last in the NFL at 57 plays per game last season partly because the offense didn’t convert effectively on third downs, but also because the porous run defense allowed opponents to eat up the clock. — Chris Perkins, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Countdown to training camp: Can Burke turn last year’s so-so defense into a top unit? | Analysis," 19 July 2017 Parents and their children can bring a lunch to eat during the program. — Michelle Mullins, Naperville Sun, "This Week in Naperville," 18 July 2017 Hammerhead worms contain the same toxin as blowfish and can be harmful if eaten. — Liz Langley, National Geographic, "Watch a Mysterious Worm With an Anus for a Mouth," 15 July 2017Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The mansion has 4½ baths, a three-story turret with a slate roof, five fireplaces, skylights on the third floor, leaded-glass windows, original tile hearths and an eat-in kitchen with Viking, Thermador and Sub-Zero appliances. — Bob Goldsborough, chicagotribune.com, "Walter Jacobson's former Lincoln Park mansion goes on market for $2.65 million," 2 Apr. 2018 Inside, some 4,600 square feet of living space holds four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a dining/family room and an eat-in kitchen. — Los Angeles Times, "Onetime Brentwood home of actor Jimmy Stewart fetches $8.26 million," 31 July 2019 Propane gas is used for cooking. Enjoy a meal in the sophisticated and bright eat-in kitchen which is large enough to hold a second dining room table. — courant.com, "Property of the Week: 38 Brian Lane, Avon," 5 July 2019 The eat-in chef’s kitchen has Snaidero cabinets, a center island and commercial-grade appliances. — Chicago Tribune, chicagotribune.com, "Contemporary Lincoln Park home: $3.4M," 28 June 2019 The new home has an eat-in kitchen with a table that can extend to accommodate many guests. — Marni Jameson, orlandosentinel.com, "Empty nesters build downsized dreamhouse," 28 June 2019 Texas de Brazil: Kids ages 2 and under eat for free with the purchase of an adult meal. — Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, "35+ Restaurants Where Kids Eat for Free (or Almost Free)," 16 May 2019 The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Food Truck will be rolling into the Bay Area from this weekend through September with an ocean-friendly lineup of casual eats. — Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, "Monterey Bay Aquarium launches ‘Seafood Watch’ food truck in Bay Area," 18 July 2019 One of these unique eats is the chicken ballotine, which costs $20. — Hannah Kirby, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "'The best of all worlds': Hundred Mile House, a modern supper club, opens in Port Washington," 15 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'eat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for eat
eat
verb