hors d'oeuvres

noun

variants also hors d'oeuvre
plural of hors d'oeuvre
as in bites
a food served in small portions before the main part of a meal a tray of assorted hors d'oeuvres

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hors d'oeuvres For Hand-Painted Detail Versatile and timeless, this duo of hand-painted, ceramic platters can easily flit between casual family breakfasts and evenings hosting at home with a pile of hors d'oeuvres. — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026 Light bites came courtesy of charcuterie stations and passed hors d'oeuvres like sips of tomato gazpacho. — Kaitlin Menza, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026 There was an open bar with two signature drinks – The Bubbly Rose, which featured blackberry, seltzer and vodka, and a red sangria – hors d'oeuvres and background music from a jazz trio made up of members of the Bluewater Kings Band, who would play the reception. — Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 17 Mar. 2026 Both anchovy paste and tomato paste can add depth to dressings, sauces, and pasta dishes; sherry vinegar is ideal for vinaigrettes and glazes; a jar of capers can elevate simple hors d'oeuvres; and chili sambals can bring the heat to eggs, marinades, and stir-fries. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 9 Jan. 2026 Prepare hors d'oeuvres and invite family members over for a rocking New Year's Eve gathering to reflect on the past year — and to set goals for the upcoming year together. — Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 29 Dec. 2025 Although the invitation stated that hors d'oeuvres will be provided, the Redditor doesn't believe that meets formal wedding expectations. — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025 Enjoy live music and hors d'oeuvres along the way. — Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Dec. 2025 Have each course center on a classic fall produce type, from hors d'oeuvres to the main dish. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hors d'oeuvres
  1. bites
  2. tastes
  3. touches
  4. spots
Noun
  • Samba's body has been sent to the University of California, Davis, for a necropsy, which could provide more information about why the bites proved fatal.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond the bites, of course, these and other vendors will be selling dishes that capture flavors from across the continent.
    — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of bites
Noun
  • Anyone displaying such pedestrian tastes would immediately be expelled from the room.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Founded in 1542 and morphing into a commercial capital for western Mexico, Guadalajara was, for much of its history, small in scale and spartan in its tastes.
    — Michael Snyder, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of tastes
Noun
  • While some of the color contrasts do articulate planar shifts, such as the candy-stripe lips (red for upper, pink for lower), many of the touches are arbitrary splotches that neither bolster a shape nor set another off.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The vocalist and Orlando band After 5 perform original R&B and neo-soul with touches of jazz.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of touches
Noun
  • Add apples, toss lightly and roast 7 to 8 minutes more, till carrots are tender, corn is browned in spots and apples are golden but still firm.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The Chiefs are in an unusual position this year because the waiver wire priority list is the same as the NFL Draft order, but teams that traded first-round picks stay in their original spots.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of spots

Browse Nearby Words

hors d'oeuvre
hors d'oeuvres
horse
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Cite this Entry

“Hors d'oeuvres.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hors%20d%27oeuvres. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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