ate

[eyt, et] / eɪt, ɛt /

VERB

consume food

Synonyms

STRONGEST

attack bite chew devour dine feed ingest inhale nibble pick swallow

STRONG

absorb banquet bolt breakfast cram digest dispatch gorge gormandize graze lunch masticate munch nosh ruminate scarf scoff snack sup wolf

WEAK

break bread chow down dispose of fall to feast upon gobble up have a bite have a meal have for make pig of oneself partake of peck at pig out polish off pork out put away take food take in take nourishment

Antonyms

STRONGEST

abstain

STRONG

misunderstand open

WEAK

build maintain preserve

VERB

erode, wear away; use up

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bite drain nibble

STRONG

condense corrode crumble decay decompose disappear disintegrate dissipate dissolve exhaust gnaw liquefy melt rot rust spill squander vanish

WEAK

run through waste away

Antonyms

STRONG

appear arrive build coagulate combine develop flourish grow hoard improve put together save solidify unite

WEAK

maintain preserve

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“I ate it, taking it for a hare, but when I learned the truth, I was not too disgusted.”

From The Wall Street Journal

My adviser said to sell and buy annuities, but I ate $80K in fees.

From MarketWatch

On the plane they ate snacks, played cards and told stories.

From BBC

They took him to a medical centre thinking it could be related to the sun, pool water, or something he ate.

From BBC

Eating a lot of ultraprocessed food raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes, according to new research that shows the risks rose with each additional serving a person ate.

From The Wall Street Journal