Definitions

lunch

[luhnch] / lʌntʃ /

NOUN

midday meal

Synonyms

STRONG

luncheon

WEAK

high tea snack tea

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for lunch?

The word lunch originally comes from a shortening of luncheon, which was once used to mean the same thing but now more specifically refers to a formal lunch held in connection with a meeting or other special occasion. Lunch is the midday meal, commonly eaten around noon (though later in some places). The time at which you eat lunch is called lunchtime. A late lunch is one eaten later than usual. Lunch isn’t always defined by the time it’s eaten, though. In some places, a midday meal is called dinner when it’s the main meal of the day. A light lunch is one that’s not too heavy or filling. A hot lunch is one that consists of hot foods, as opposed to cold food, like cold sandwiches. A packaged lunch provided at an event is often called a box lunch (or a boxed lunch). A lunch that you pack for yourself is often called a brown-bag lunch. The term bag lunch (or bagged lunch) can refer to one that’s provided or one that you packed yourself. The period allotted to eat lunch during a workday is called a lunch break or the lunch hour. In school, this is often called the lunch period. A business meeting conducted over lunch can be called a business lunch, a lunch meeting, or a power lunch. According to popular wisdom, there is no such thing as a free lunch. To do lunch means to meet someone for lunch. This is often called a lunch date. Brunch is a meal that’s like a combination of breakfast and lunch, typically eaten between breakfast time and lunchtime. A midmorning break for a snack—eaten after breakfast but before lunch—can be called elevenses (in reference to being eaten around 11 a.m.). In the U.K., the term high tea refers to a late afternoon or early evening meal similar to a light supper. Lunch can also be a verb, though this is quite formal and is much less commonly used. To lunch means to eat lunch, or to eat something specific for lunch, as in We lunched on sandwiches. More specifically, it can mean to engage in lunch as an activity, as in First we’ll visit the museum, then we’ll lunch, then we’ll see a show.

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:

lunch lunches lunched lunching

When spending the day at his coach’s house, Smith says, Luke would bring his own home-made lunch — usually, grilled chicken and rice with vegetables.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

By lunch period in Lampasas High School, the morning high gives way to a crash.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Families with children typically spend more, so cutting back would require things like planning low-cost meals, saying no to prepared and convenience foods, making use of leftovers and bringing lunch to work.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026

As part of the new framework, sweet desserts, like cake, will be reduced from a regular lunch offer to twice a week in secondary schools, and once a week in primary schools.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

But as I started to focus on my own lunch, I heard Rachel’s voice from all the way across the cafeteria.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

The school had no toilet for female students and expired food packets were being used to prepare lunches.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

School lunches, cleaning supplies and other needs associated with a lack of running water are up to parents to deal with.

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

On Sunday, I shall manufacture five identical lunches, and by Thursday afternoon I will apparently still be delighted to encounter a lentil-and-quinoa bowl.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

After a year in New York City, Dillon Davis and Nichols Neff were fed up with “corporate slop,” the bowl-centric meals that are a staple of sad office lunches.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

But though I knew that Julian frequently invited Henry for lunches à deux, I had never before received an invitation to dine alone with him, and I was both flattered and vaguely worried.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

They never divorced and lunched together almost daily.

From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2025

My friends and I lunched in the spring shade of Surprise Arch, a natural stone arch sandwiched between two massive rock walls.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2024

In the statement Monday noting Rubiales’ resignation, after Ceferin had lunched with the women delegates, there was praise but not words of solidarity toward the Spanish players or women’s soccer in general.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 11, 2023

Then had come a break before the fourth round, so Scheffler and McIlroy and Jon Rahm and others had lunched together.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 28, 2022

Mrs. Van Hopper lunched in the restaurant for the first time since her influenza, and I had a pain in the pit of my stomach as I followed her into the room.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

The two leaders ended up getting on well, even lunching together at times, despite belonging to different camps, said a senior U.S. defense official.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026

Munir accompanied Sharif during a visit to Washington in June, lunching with Trump.

From Barron's ● Apr. 12, 2026

A walkway runs along the length of it, passing by a giant dinosaur skeleton, a beach volleyball pitch and dozens of Googlers lunching under the hazy November sun.

From BBC ● Nov. 19, 2025

Hours before lunching with Rendon in Lynwood, I had breakfast up the road with Hector De La Torre in his hometown of South Gate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2024

Later that day, I took Barack to lunch at the fancy restaurant on the first floor of our office building, a place packed with well-groomed bankers and lawyers power lunching over meals priced like dinners.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

lunch

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

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