food
29 synonyms and 0 antonyms for food, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Any substance eaten or drunk to sustain life and provide energy.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use food
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English foda, going back to a very old Germanic root shared with "fodder" and "foster."
Full origin of food →Frequently asked questions
What does “food” mean?
The word “food” means any substance eaten or drunk to sustain life and provide energy. In plain terms, what people and animals eat to stay alive and get energy.
How do you pronounce “food”?
“Food” is pronounced food ([fu̟(ː)d] in IPA).
How do you use “food” in a sentence?
Here is “food” used in a sentence: “The fridge was stocked with enough food for the whole week.”
What is another word for “food”?
Words with a similar meaning to “food” include Synonyms: see Thesaurus:food, aliment, bait, comestibles, cuisine and eatables.
What part of speech is “food”?
“Food” is a noun.
Where does the word “food” come from?
The word “food” comes from Old English. From Old English foda, going back to a very old Germanic root shared with "fodder" and "foster.".
Is “food” a common word?
“Food” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “food” have?
“Food” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: any substance eaten or drunk to sustain life and provide energy.
What is the difference between food and nutrients?
Food is the actual substance you eat — bread, fruit, meat, and so on. Nutrients are the useful components inside food, such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, that the body extracts and uses. You eat food; your body then absorbs the nutrients within it to build tissue and produce energy.
What are the main types of food?
Foods are often grouped by nutrient into carbohydrates (grains, bread, pasta), proteins (meat, fish, beans), and fats (oils, butter, nuts), alongside fruits and vegetables. Everyday groupings also include dairy and sugars. These food groups form the basis of balanced diets, each supplying different nutrients the body needs to stay healthy.
Why is food important?
Food supplies the energy and raw materials the body needs to live. It fuels movement, warmth, and thought, and provides the building blocks for growth and repair. Without adequate food the body weakens and eventually fails. Beyond mere survival, food also carries deep cultural, social, and emotional meaning for people everywhere.
What is the difference between food and a meal?
Food is any nourishing substance you eat. A meal is an occasion of eating — breakfast, lunch, or dinner — usually made up of several foods served together. So food is the material itself, while a meal is a structured serving of that food eaten at a particular time of day.