feeding

1 of 2

noun

feed·​ing ˈfē-diŋ How to pronounce feeding (audio)
Synonyms of feedingnext
1
: the act or process of eating or being fed
For a while zoos tried to control feeding by providing vending machines with pellets, but most have now banned it entirely.—Phillip T. Robinson
—often used before another noun
a feeding schedule
feeding behavior
2
: an instance of feeding
two a.m. feedings
ready for a feeding

feeding

2 of 2

present participle of feed entry 1

Examples of feeding in a Sentence

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.
Noun
When a pattern of warming waters hit the Gulf of Maine in the early 2010s, right whales started to abandon their feeding grounds. — Ryan Green, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026 No breast-feeding or rape support group should be allowed to exclude him. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026 Learn to assess your dog’s body condition, measure meals rather than free-feeding, and build a daily walk into the routine. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026 The Sourdough Sidekick, developed by King Arthur Baking Company and FirstBuild, a GE Appliances innovation hub, automates starter feeding. — Lauryn Higgins, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for feeding

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

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

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

Phrases Containing feeding

Rhymes for feeding

See All Rhymes for feeding

Browse Nearby Words

feed-in
feeding
feeding board
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Feeding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feeding. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on feeding

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for feeding

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All