Eat — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈēt/

Meaning & Definition of Eat

Eat (verb)

  1. to take in through the mouth as food, ingest, chew, and swallow in turn
  2. to destroy, consume, or waste by or as if by eating
  3. to bear the expense of, take a loss on

Eat (noun)

  1. something to eat, food —usually used in plural

Eat (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to take in as food

    "having gone all day without food, we greedily ate the hamburgers"

    similar: consume, ingest, partake (of), put away, put down, tuck (away or in)
    related: digest, down, mouth (down), swallow, bolt, chow (down on), devour, glut (on), gobble (up or down), gorge, gulp, scoff, slop, snarf (down), swill, wolf, chew, gnaw (at or on), gum, lap, lick, nibble (on), nurse, pick (at), relish, savor, taste, banquet, dine, fare, feast, gormandize, pig out, regale, dispatch, polish off, breakfast, lunch, sup, munch, nosh, snack

  2. to consume or wear away gradually

    "the pot's protective coating was eaten away by the acid"

    similar: bite (at), corrode, erode, fret, gnaw, nibble
    related: break down, break up, decompose, disintegrate, dissolve, decimate, destroy, devastate, ruin, waste, wreck
    near: freshen, recreate, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, rejuvenate, renew, restore, revitalize, revive

  3. to take a meal

    "where's the best place to eat in this town?"

    similar: dine, fare, feed, partake, refresh, victual, break bread
    related: banquet, feast, repast, chow (down), dig in, glut, gorge, gormandize, overeat, overfeed, pig out, graze, nibble, nosh, pick, snack, board, mess, dine out, breakfast, lunch, sup, picnic
    near: diet, fast

  4. 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"

    similar: aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, irritate, itch, nark (British), nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, vex, get one's goat, get on one's nerves, get to, rub the wrong way, set one's teeth on edge, stick in one's craw, wear on
    related: hassle, heckle, nag, inflame, provoke, rouse, badger, bait, bullyrag, devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease, anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil, agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry, affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage
    near: appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate, delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy, assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe

Related Entry: Eat (up) (verb)

Eat (up) is a different word from Eat. The synonyms below are for eat (up), not for eat.

  1. to receive or accept gladly or readily

    "predictably, moviegoers ate up the sequel to last summer's blockbuster"

    similar: drink (in), embrace, lap (up), welcome
    related: adopt, espouse, take up, greet, hail, enjoy, like, prefer, cherry-pick, choose, cull, decide (on), elect, handpick, name, opt (for), pick, select, single (out), take
    near: balk (at), decline, pass up, refuse, reject, spurn, throw over, turn down, demur (to), object (to)

  2. to destroy all trace of

    "the surf created by a powerful hurricane could really eat up what's left of the island's eastern beach"

    similar: consume, devour
    related: gut, deplete, drain, exhaust, expend, spend, use up, annihilate, decimate, demolish, desolate, devastate, do in, pulverize, raze, ruin, shatter, smash, tear down, waste, wreck, blot out, eradicate, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, obliterate, remove, rub out, stamp (out), wipe out
    near: conserve, preserve, protect, save, build, construct, erect, put up, raise

Related Entry: Eat alive (phrase)

Eat alive is a different word from Eat. The synonyms below are for eat alive, not for eat.

  1. to defeat by a large margin

    "We thought we were prepared, but the other team ate us alive."

    similar: annihilate, blow away, bomb, bury, clobber, cream, drub, dust, flatten, paste, rout, shellac, skin, skunk, smoke (slang), smother, snow under, thrash, trim, tromp, trounce, wallop, wax (slang), whip, whomp, whop, whup, beat the pants off, run circles around, wipe the floor with
    related: sweep, upset, beat, best, conquer, dispatch, hurdle, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), subdue, surmount, take, throw, triumph (over), win (against), worst, crush, knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, overwhelm, subjugate, upend, vanquish, ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcend, edge (out), nose out, pip (British), cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed, break, destroy, do in, finish, sink, slaughter

Related Entry: Eat one's heart out (phrase)

Eat one's heart out is a different word from Eat. The synonyms below are for eat one's heart out, not for eat.

  1. to feel deep sadness or mental pain

    "He was admiring my new car, but I told him to eat his heart out because I'd never let him drive it."

    similar: agonize, anguish, bleed, grieve, hurt, mourn, sorrow, suffer, tear one's hair
    related: ache, long (for), pine (away), sigh, smart, rack, torment, torture, bemoan, bewail, deplore, lament, rue, bawl, blubber, cry, groan, howl, keen, moan, sob, take on, wail, weep, yammer, yowl, languish, regret
    near: beam, cheer, crow, delight, exult, glory, joy, laugh, ravish, rejoice, triumph, assure, comfort, commiserate, console, reassure, solace, soothe, sympathize

Related Entry: Dog-eat-dog (adjective)

Dog-eat-dog is a different word from Eat. The synonyms below are for dog-eat-dog, not for eat.

  1. as in opportunistic, cheapjack

    similar: cheapjack, opportunistic, corrupt, debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, degraded, demoralized, depraved, dissipated, libertine, licentious, profligate, calculating, scheming, sharp, crooked, deceitful, dishonest, jackleg, knavish, merciless, pitiless, remorseless, ruthless, cutthroat, immoral, Machiavellian, unconscionable, unethical, unprincipled, unscrupulous
    opposite: ethical, moral, principled, scrupulous, conscientious, good, honorable, just, noble, righteous, virtuous

Related Entry: Eating one's heart out (phrase)

Eating one's heart out is a different word from Eat. The synonyms below are for eating one's heart out, not for eat.

  1. having or showing mean resentment of another's possessions or advantages

    "She's been eating her heart out since her friends have started buying their own houses."

    similar: covetous, envious, green-eyed, invidious, jaundiced, jealous, resentful, green with envy
    related: begrudging, grudging, avaricious, grasping, greedy, rapacious, distrustful, suspicious, malicious, petty, spiteful
    opposite: unenvious
    near: generous, kind, kindhearted, altruistic, benevolent, charitable, well-meaning

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Eat

The most common words with a similar meaning to Eat:

British: nark
consume, ingest, partake (of), put away, put down, tuck (away or in), bite (at), corrode, erode, fret, gnaw, nibble, dine, fare, feed, partake, refresh, victual, aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, irritate, itch, nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp

Related Words for Eat

digest, down, mouth (down), swallow, bolt, chow (down on), devour, glut (on), gobble (up or down), gorge, gulp, scoff, slop, snarf (down), swill, wolf, chew, gnaw (at or on), gum, lap, lick, nibble (on), nurse, pick (at), relish, savor, taste, banquet, feast, gormandize

Near Antonyms of Eat

freshen, recreate, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, rejuvenate, renew, restore, revitalize, revive, diet, fast, appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate, delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy, assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet

Word Forms of Eat

Inflections: ate, eaten, eating, eats

Derived words: eater (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Eat

Middle English eten, from Old English etan; akin to Old High German ezzan to eat, Latin edere, Greek edmenai

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Eat

Words & Phrases Containing Eat

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

Frequently Asked Questions about Eat

What does "Eat" mean?

"Eat" means to take in through the mouth as food, ingest, chew, and swallow in turn. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to take in through the mouth as food, ingest, chew, and swallow in turn. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Eat"?

Other words for "Eat" include consume, ingest, partake (of), put away, put down, tuck (away or in), bite (at) and corrode. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Eat" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Eat"?

There are 158 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Eat". Common alternatives include consume, ingest, partake (of), put away, put down, tuck (away or in), bite (at), corrode, erode and fret.

How do you use "Eat" in a sentence?

Examples of "Eat" in a sentence: "having gone all day without food, we greedily ate the hamburgers"; "the pot's protective coating was eaten away by the acid"; "where's the best place to eat in this town?".

Is "Eat" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Eat" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Eat" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Eat" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Eat"?

"Eat" is pronounced /ˈēt/.

What is the origin of the word "Eat"?

"Eat" comes from Middle English eten, from Old English etan; akin to Old High German ezzan to eat, Latin edere, Greek edmenai. First known use: before 12th centuryt.