fatten

verb

fat·​ten ˈfa-tᵊn 

fattened; fattening fa-tə-niŋ 

ˈfat-niŋˈ

transitive verb

1

a

: to make fat, fleshy, or plump

especially : to feed (an animal) for slaughter

b

: to make more substantial

2

: to make fertile

intransitive verb

: to become fat

fattener

ˈfa-tə-nər 

ˈfat-nər

noun

Examples of fatten in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The luxurious delicacy is a pâté or mousse made from the rich, fattened livers of ducks or geese. —Ari Daniel, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025

In 13 years, he’s made a bundle for long-term shareholders and himself an almost-billionaire, largely by pushing through margin fattening price increases. —Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025

Hundreds of thousands of the birds—roughly 80 percent of the total population—spend several weeks resting and fattening up near the Platte River in February, March and April. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025

After using the summer to feed and fatten up in Alaska, the whales migrate to Mexico in the winter to breed and give birth. —Adrian Rodriguez, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for fatten

• batten
• craton
• flatten
• gratin
• gratton
• latin
• lattin
• matin
• paten
• patten
• platen
• ratan

Kids Definition

fatten

verb

fat·​ten ˈfat-ᵊn 

fattened; fattening ˈfat-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: to make or become fat

fattener

-(ə-)nər 

noun