obesity

noun

ō-ˈbē-sə-tē How to pronounce obesity (audio)
Definition of obesitynext
as in fatness
the condition of having an excess of body fat obesity has been linked to a number of health risks, such as heart disease

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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 obesity According to Cox, researchers are learning more about the effects of GLP-1 drugs, which are used to treat diabetes or obesity, on our gut health. — Norah O'Donnell, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026 Under the pilot, many Medicare beneficiaries with a body mass index of 35 or higher — the upper range of obesity — qualify for coverage of one of those drugs, if prescribed. — Jackie Fortiér, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 The increases are being driven largely by the rising cost of care and medication, particularly cancer treatment and obesity drugs. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026 Decades of research have cemented links between obesity and heart disease, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, numerous cancers, osteoarthritis, and poor mental health. — Mike McRae 24, New Atlas, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obesity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obesity
  1. fatness
  2. fat
  3. weight
  4. adiposity
  5. corpulence
Noun
  • The phrase assumes that fatness belongs firmly in the past, yet the very need for such a term suggests otherwise.
    — Virgie Tovar, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
  • Because this isn't a book about fatness, despite the central plotline.
    — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Definition of fatness
Noun
  • Keto diets are specifically intended to limit your body’s access to sugars, forcing it to consume fat for energy by entering a metabolic state called ketosis.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In addition to protein, pumpkin seeds are rich in healthy fats, fiber, zinc, and other nutrients that are beneficial for heart health and sleep.
    — Lindsay Curtis, HEALTH, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of fat
Noun
  • Some look at a 69-68 record and disagree, but Crane’s is the only opinion that carries any weight.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Intermittent fasting is a popular dietary approach that many people follow to manage their weight.
    — Teresa Maalouf, Verywell Health, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of weight
Noun
  • Breastfeeding, adiposity, and precocious puberty in boys and girls.
    — Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Definition of adiposity
Noun
  • For the next fifty years, insurance companies, not doctors, were the chief arbiters of corpulence.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Aug. 2026
  • And the blue velvet armchair was empty but for the permanent impression of his corpulence.
    — Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of corpulence

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obese
obesity
obey
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Cite this Entry

“Obesity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obesity. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on obesity

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about obesity

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