1
as in to consume
to take in as food
having gone all day without food, we greedily ate the hamburgers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to erode
to consume or wear away gradually
the pot's protective coating was eaten away by the acid
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to dine
to take a meal
where's the best place to eat in this town?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to bother
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
it really eats me the way people go to national parks to enjoy nature—and then leave their litter behind
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of eat
Many fish live, hide and eat the small shrimp and crabs that are within the seaweed, which made her snorkeling adventure more exciting.
—
Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 May 2026
The world has burned through oil inventories at a record speed as the Iran war throttles flows from the Persian Gulf, eating into the very buffer that protects against supply shocks.
—Grant Smith, Fortune, 9 May 2026
The young Maiasaura ate softer, higher-protein food, while the mothers consumed tougher, less nutritious, high-fiber plant material, as noted by Bioengineer.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 9 May 2026
The Cox clan would eat dinner at Adairsville’s posh Barnsley Gardens and breakfast at Patty’s, a famous truck stop.
—Mark Bradley For The Ajc, AJC.com, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for eat
Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 May 2026
The world has burned through oil inventories at a record speed as the Iran war throttles flows from the Persian Gulf, eating into the very buffer that protects against supply shocks.
—Grant Smith, Fortune, 9 May 2026
The young Maiasaura ate softer, higher-protein food, while the mothers consumed tougher, less nutritious, high-fiber plant material, as noted by Bioengineer.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 9 May 2026
The Cox clan would eat dinner at Adairsville’s posh Barnsley Gardens and breakfast at Patty’s, a famous truck stop.
—Mark Bradley For The Ajc, AJC.com, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for eat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eat
Verb
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But for humans to consume cow’s milk, those calves are taken away.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2026
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King warned that the war would devour Johnson’s ambition for a Great Society, consuming the resources meant to relieve poverty here at home.—
Mark Conway,
Baltimore Sun,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The federal gas tax has also remained unchanged since 1993, which experts say has already eroded the Highway Trust Fund’s purchasing power when accounting for inflation.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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Yet with the tool’s skyrocketing popularity, some experts worry about potential hallucinations or incomplete answers, the potential for doctors’ critical thinking skills to erode and more.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Here is some of the latest in dining news from across San Diego County, as well as some upcoming events for foodies.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
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Afterward, guests dined in the State Dining Room and danced in the East Room.—
Brooke Migdon,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
Verb
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There were other stories that bothered him more, like a post by a writer who recounted a chaste one-night stand with Tea Party activist and Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell that described her pubic hair.—
Frank DiGiacomo,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
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However, in the wild, the algae are the ocean’s introverts, and only glow when they are bothered, like jolted by a crashing wave or the hull of a passing boat.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
Verb
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The defender found Kai Havertz who fed Odegaard the ball again, spreading play wide to Madueke.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
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The residents sheltering in place during the pandemic hit more deer, left more trash that fed more rats, all of which sustained a bigger pack of coyotes over the past year.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Verb
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To Henry, this would have been for the greater good of English football, but the reaction was again one of anger and Henry was annoyed that the idea was killed off.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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The non-meat use of the term came from the online chat room community, which by the late 1980s was already using it to denote a mass influx of data into their chat rooms that could trigger a computer crash and/or annoy chat room users.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Pistachio nuts are also a favorite go-to snack.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
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No matter the occasion, weeknight or family gathering, there was always something to snack on.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Although pest control companies offer lethal solutions such as carpenter bee traps or chemical treatments, the best way to keep carpenter bees from bugging you is using stained, sealed, varnished or treated wood in building projects.—
Sarah Linn
April 24,
Sacbee.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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Upon arriving at big-league camp this spring, Rojas said the different grip initially bugged him.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Eat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eat. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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