fodder

noun

fod·​der ˈfä-dər 

1

: something fed to domestic animals

especially : coarse food for cattle, horses, or sheep

2

: inferior or readily available material used to supply a heavy demand

fodder for tabloids

This sort of breezy plot line has become cheap fodder for novelists and screenwriters …

—Sally Bedell

fodder transitive verb

Examples of fodder in a Sentence

His antics always make good fodder for the gossip columnists.

She often used her friends' problems as fodder for her novels.

Recent Examples on the Web

After a trial that became tabloid fodder due to her royal connections, she was convicted and sentenced to life in prison (and later released in 2019). —Ellise Shafer, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026

In all, there’s no smoking guns here, but the leak provides an intriguing peek behind the curtain — as well as easy fodder for any competitors looking to reverse engineer the company’s tech. —Frank Landymore, Futurism, 1 Apr. 2026

The grain, straw, and chaff of fonio are used as fodder for ruminant animals. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Mar. 2026

These partnerships, like ones with Vans and Solomons, sell out quickly and become fodder for social media, as well as breathless coverage at legacy publications, including Vogue and the New York Times. —Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English fōdor; akin to Old High German fuotar food — more at food

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing fodder

• cannon fodder

Rhymes for fodder

• broader
• dodder
• odder
• solder
• marauder

Kids Definition

fodder

noun

fod·​der ˈfäd-ər 

: coarse dry food (as cornstalks) for livestock