Definitions

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.

The bartender told me one guest on the package ate steak for every meal.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

He immediately set about trying to shore up the economy by scrapping fuel subsidies that ate into the country's dollar reserves, but acute fuel shortages remain and inflation has rocketed.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

Published in Nature Communications, the research combines archaeology, ancient DNA analysis, isotope studies, and skeletal evidence to reconstruct how people lived, moved, ate, and buried their dead roughly 3,000 years ago.

From Science Daily • May 19, 2026

The result: I took an inexpensive yoga class at a beautiful studio, and I ate the most delectable pastry I’ve ever had.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

The food was served family style and I ate so much I came close to making myself sick.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls