fast-food

adjective

ˈfas(t)-ˌfüd How to pronounce fast-food (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or specializing in food that can be prepared and served quickly
a fast-food restaurant
2
: designed for ready availability, use, or consumption and with little consideration given to quality or significance
fast-food TV programming
fast food noun

Examples of fast-food in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Around fifty thousand people of Filipino descent live in Queens, many of them in Woodside, which boasts New York City’s oldest Jollibee, a mega-popular Filipino fast-food chain. — Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026 Olivia Rodrigo’s latest era is getting the full pop-star-meets-fast-food treatment, with Taco Bell and the Grammy Museum both unveiling new ways for fans to step inside her increasingly tactile world. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 27 Aug. 2026 Ray Kroc’s extreme wealth didn’t cure the Padres, who had one winner in the fast-food titan’s decade as team owner. — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 First, Burger King improved its Whopper, now the fast-food chain is upgrading its chicken nuggets. — Mike Snider, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fast-food

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fast-food was in 1960

Rhymes for fast-food

See All Rhymes for fast-food

Browse Nearby Words

fast fashion
fast-food
fast-forward
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fast-food.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fast-food. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fast-food

adjective
ˌfas(t)-ˌfüd
: specializing in food that can be prepared and served quickly
a fast-food restaurant
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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