Is eat formal or informal?

Eat is neutral and very common. It works in daily speech, writing, and most exams.

What is the difference between eat and dine?

Eat is ordinary and broad. Dine is more formal and often used for special meals or polite writing.

Can eat mean more than food?

Yes. It can also mean to use something up or damage something slowly.

← Dictionary

eat

/iːt/

IELTSAcademic

verb

To put food in your mouth, chew it, and swallow it. It can also mean to use something up, like time or money.

We eat dinner at seven.
She ate the last slice of pizza.
The fees eat into my savings.

Adinary Nuance

Eat is the basic, neutral word for taking food into the body. It is simpler and more everyday than dine, which sounds more formal. It is also broader than have a meal, which focuses on the meal event, not the action itself.

In other languages

Vietnamese: ăn
Spanish: comer
Chinese: 吃
Japanese: 食べる
Korean: 먹다

Etymology

Old English etan, from a Germanic root. It has been a common everyday word in English for a very long time.

Common phrases

eat breakfasteat outeat upeat and drink

Synonyms

consume devour ingest have a meal

Related words

food meal hungry appetite

Frequently asked questions

Is eat formal or informal?: Eat is neutral and very common. It works in daily speech, writing, and most exams.
What is the difference between eat and dine?: Eat is ordinary and broad. Dine is more formal and often used for special meals or polite writing.
Can eat mean more than food?: Yes. It can also mean to use something up or damage something slowly.