fodder

noun

fod·​der ˈfä-dər How to pronounce fodder (audio)
1
: something fed to domestic animals
especially : coarse food for cattle, horses, or sheep
2
: inferior or readily available material used to supply a heavy demand
fodder for tabloids
This sort of breezy plot line has become cheap fodder for novelists and screenwriters …Sally Bedell
fodder transitive verb

Examples of fodder in a Sentence

His antics always make good fodder for the gossip columnists. She often used her friends' problems as fodder for her novels.
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.
And rather than engage with President and Mrs. Macron’s attempts to set the record straight, Owens mocked them and used them as additional fodder for her frenzied fan base. Meredith Kile, People.com, 23 July 2025 Many Ukraine watchers are worried that efforts to rollback anti-corruption initiatives will be fodder for Russian propaganda and fracture Ukraine’s unity at a critical time in the war. Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2025 The first season’s framing of the police as some of the dumbest and most corrupt people alive could be good fodder for Salazar, who might make a go for sheriff given how Callie’s husband bungled the Pastor Pete case. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 July 2025 That view has largely won out among investors on Wall Street, who have come to see tariff announcements as diplomatic fodder rather than firm policy declarations, Bret Kenwell, U.S. investment analyst at eToro, told ABC News. Max Zahn, ABC News, 15 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for fodder

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English fōdor; akin to Old High German fuotar food — more at food

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fodder was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fodder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fodder. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

fodder

noun
fod·​der ˈfäd-ər How to pronounce fodder (audio)
: coarse dry food (as cornstalks) for livestock

More from Merriam-Webster on fodder

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