microwave

1 of 2

noun

mi·​cro·​wave ˈmī-krō-ˌwāv 

often attributive

1

: a comparatively short electromagnetic wave

especially : one between about one millimeter and one meter in wavelength

2

: microwave oven

microwave

2 of 2

verb

microwaved; microwaving; microwaves

transitive verb

: to cook or heat in a microwave oven

microwavable adjective

or microwaveable

ˌmī-krō-ˈwā-və-bəl 

Examples of microwave in a Sentence

Noun

The apartment came with a microwave.

Verb

microwave a bowl of soup

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Items like alarm clocks and stereos in working condition are often fair game, but televisions and microwaves, for example, are not. —Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2025

Heat the mixture in the microwave for a minute, then let your jewelry soak in the mixture for 10-15 minutes. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Mar. 2025

Verb

Ingesting tiny plastic particles might seem inevitable, but over the past 10 years or so, Americans have grown understandably fearful about bits of plastic making their way into our food, fretting about microwaving food in plastic containers and drinking from plastic bottles. —Hannah Seo, The Atlantic, 29 Mar. 2025

Toxic parenting isn’t just letting your kid have too much screen time after a tiring day, using a swear word or two in front of your kids, or microwaving chicken nuggets for dinner. —​wendy Wisner, Parents, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1931, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1973, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing microwave

• cosmic microwave background
• microwave oven

Rhymes for microwave

• aftershave
• architrave
• autoclave
• misbehave
• agave
• behave
• concave
• conclave
• enclave
• engrave
• enslave
• forgave

Kids Definition

microwave

1 of 2 noun

mi·​cro·​wave ˈmī-krō-ˌwāv 

1

: a radio wave between one millimeter and one meter in wavelength

2

: microwave oven

microwave

2 of 2 verb

: to cook or heat in a microwave oven

microwavable adjective

or microwaveable

ˌmī-krə-ˈwā-və-bəl 

Medical Definition

microwave

noun

mi·​cro·​wave -ˌwāv 

often attributive

: a comparatively short electromagnetic wave

especially : one between about 1 millimeter and 1 meter in wavelength