ate

[eyt, et] / eɪt, ɛt /

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consume food v.
erode, wear away; use up v.

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.

See Examples For:

ate

A third group ate an unrestricted diet that also included three daily servings of dairy.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

“Everything was slower which made how I ate more intentional. If I was going to be spending more time cooking, it was almost a guarantee it was going to be a healthier meal.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

The woman ate three mouthfuls of the food in June 2024, a month before she died from frailty of old age, the ombudsman's report said.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

She ate and drank what would be expected of someone exerting herself to the nth degree.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

And at the funeral luncheon, his mom ate a bowl of tóshchíín, blue corn mush.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith