maw

noun

ˈmȯ How to pronounce maw (audio)
Synonyms of mawnext
1
: the receptacle into which food is taken by swallowing:
a
: stomach
b
: crop
2
a
: the throat, gullet, or jaws especially of a voracious animal
the gaping maw of the tiger
b
: something suggestive of a gaping maw
the dark maw of the cave

Examples of maw in a Sentence

the gaping maw of the tiger
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.
With the law on his side, Smith expected that Biddy and the others would be forced to follow him once again—from the cusp of freedom into the maw of slavery. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 Dishes such as beef mantou, its interpretation of the Chinese hamburger, thousand-year-old egg and ricotta, passion fruit fish maw noodles, and a generous offering of spicy Yakitori skewers, sums up its imaginative and bold offerings. — Denni Hu, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026 There’s no way to extract what may have already been fed into the model’s voracious maw. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 20 Aug. 2026 Now, Summer House is the show feeding the great maw of the Bravoverse. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for maw

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English maga; akin to Old High German mago stomach, Lithuanian makas purse

First Known Use

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

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

Rhymes for maw

See All Rhymes for maw

Browse Nearby Words

mavrodaphne
maw
mawali
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Maw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maw. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

maw

noun
ˈmȯ How to pronounce maw (audio)
1
: a body part (as a stomach or a crop) that receives swallowed food
2
: the throat, gullet, or jaws especially of a flesh-eating animal

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