doughnut

noun

dough·​nut ˈdō-(ˌ)nət How to pronounce doughnut (audio)
variants or less commonly donut
1
: a small usually ring-shaped piece of sweet fried dough
2
: something (such as a mathematical torus) that has a round shape like a doughnut
3
: a controlled skid that sends an automobile into a tight circle of at least 360 degrees
—usually used in the phrase do doughnuts
Doing doughnuts? You haven't heard about this? This is what they steal the cars for. Top speed, they slam on the brakes, yank the emergency brake, twist the steering wheel, and the car starts spinning. Wheeling the car in circles at tremendous speeds.—Philip Roth
doughnutlike
ˈdō-(ˌ)nət-ˌlīk How to pronounce doughnut (audio)
adjective

Examples of doughnut in a Sentence

drawing doughnuts in the sand
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.
No purchase is necessary, but the deal is limited to one doughnut per person. — Kimberly Tutuska, Charlotte Observer, 2 July 2026 Even transformed into an unexpected salty-sweet dessert (see chef Harold Villarosa’s Spam doughnuts). — Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 July 2026 The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous apparently includes doughnuts. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026 On the afternoon of the Willacy execution, Grace Hanna was sitting in a doughnut shop in Starke, keeping a different kind of record. — Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for doughnut

Word History

Etymology

dough + nut entry 1 (in sense "rounded cake or biscuit," as in ginger nut, spice nut)

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of doughnut was in 1782

Phrases Containing doughnut

Rhymes for doughnut

See All Rhymes for doughnut

Browse Nearby Words

doughlike
doughnut
doughnut hole
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doughnut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doughnut. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

doughnut

noun
dough·​nut
variants also donut
-(ˌ)nət
1
: a small ring of sweet dough fried in fat
2
: something resembling a doughnut especially in shape

More from Merriam-Webster on doughnut

Nglish: Translation of doughnut for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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