inedible

adjective

in·​ed·​i·​ble (ˌ)i-ˈne-də-bəl 
Synonyms of inedible
: not fit to be eaten

Examples of inedible in a Sentence

The steak was overcooked, but not inedible.
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.
Over the last year, advocates have collected declarations from scores of detainees describing inedible food, substandard medical care and callous treatment at the hands of guards and staff. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 While some lose their texture or flavor in the freezer, others can simply become inedible or undesirable after thawing. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026 Another is to pay fishers to catch inedible ones like the puffer fish so they can be incinerated. — ABC News, 30 July 2026 The Medfly targets more than 250 types of fruits and vegetables by laying eggs inside them that hatch into maggots, which make the produce inedible. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for inedible

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inedible was in 1786

Rhymes for inedible

See All Rhymes for inedible

Browse Nearby Words

ined
inedible
inedita
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inedible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inedible. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

inedible

adjective
in·​ed·​i·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈed-ə-bəl 
: not fit or safe for eating
inedible mushrooms

More from Merriam-Webster on inedible

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for inedible

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

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

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

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
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
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All