consumed; consuming
1
: to do away with completely : destroy
Fire consumed several buildings.
2
3
a
: to eat or drink especially in great quantity
consumed several bags of pretzels
b
: to enjoy avidly : devour
… mysteries, which she consumes for fun …—
Eden Ross Lipson
Eden Ross Lipson4
: to engage fully : engross
consumed with curiosity
5
: to utilize as a customer
consume goods and services
Examples of consume in a Sentence
The new lights consume less electricity.
She's making an effort to live more simply and consume less.
Hundreds of books were consumed in the fire.
Recent Examples on the Web
And each switch requires the brain to reorient itself, which consumes mental energy and slows overall performance, Dr. Schiff explains.
—Noma Nazish, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Good Culture took advantage of its own viral moment with an ad campaign embracing the various ways of preparing and consuming its product.
—Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN Money, 26 July 2025
But hominins simply cannot tolerate consuming the high levels of protein that large predators can.
—Melanie Beasley, The Conversation, 25 July 2025
Dispose of the product safely to prevent it from being consumed by humans or animals, especially if the packaging has been opened.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for consume
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.
Noma Nazish, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Good Culture took advantage of its own viral moment with an ad campaign embracing the various ways of preparing and consuming its product.
—Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN Money, 26 July 2025
But hominins simply cannot tolerate consuming the high levels of protein that large predators can.
—Melanie Beasley, The Conversation, 25 July 2025
Dispose of the product safely to prevent it from being consumed by humans or animals, especially if the packaging has been opened.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for consume
Cite this Entry
“Consume.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consume. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
consume
verb
con·sume
kən-ˈsüm 
consumed; consuming
1
: to destroy by or as if by fire
3
: to eat or drink up
consumed too much ice cream
4
: to take up the interest or attention of
was consumed with curiosity
5
: to use as a customer
consume goods
consumable
adjective
-ˈsü-mə-bəl
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share