breakfast
Americannoun
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breakfasts
plural
-
the first meal of the day; morning meal.
A hearty breakfast was served at 7 a.m.
-
the food eaten at the first meal of the day.
a breakfast of bacon and eggs.
verb (used without object)
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breakfasts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
breakfasted,
past participle, past
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breakfasting
present participle
verb (used with object)
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breakfasts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
breakfasted,
past participle, past
-
breakfasting
present participle
noun
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-
the first meal of the day
-
( as modifier )
breakfast cereal
a breakfast room
-
-
the food at this meal
-
(in the Caribbean) a midday meal
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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breakfastsimple
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breakfastssimple
-
have breakfastedperfect
-
has breakfastedperfect
-
am breakfastingprogressive
-
are breakfastingprogressive
-
is breakfastingprogressive
-
have been breakfastingperfect progressive
-
has been breakfastingperfect progressive
Past
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breakfastedsimple
-
had breakfastedperfect
-
was breakfastingprogressive
-
were breakfastingprogressive
-
had been breakfastingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of breakfast
First recorded in 1425–75, breakfast is from the late Middle English word brekfast. See break, fast 2
Explanation
Breakfast is the first meal of the day, usually eaten in the morning. Eating a healthy breakfast may give you a boost of energy to start your day. The word breakfast comes from the idea of "breaking the fast" after a night of sleeping. A fast is a period of not eating. During sleep, the body goes without food for hours, so when you eat breakfast, you stop fasting and start eating again, restoring energy for the day ahead. Breakfast foods vary widely depending on culture and personal preference. Eggs, cereal, toast, pancakes, and fruit are commonly eaten for breakfast in some places. In other places, soup, salad, fish, and rice are preferred.
Vocabulary lists containing breakfast
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The front-of-house staff always seem to be navigating the aftermath of a complicated breakup between two polycules, but the breakfast sandwich is truly good enough to make the interpersonal intrigue part of the charm.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
"The pope had a good night in the hospital. He got up and had breakfast," the Vatican said in a short statement on Telegram.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Students who reported healthier habits, including regular physical activity and consistent breakfast consumption, also tended to demonstrate greater psychological flexibility and resilience.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
Once, he found a jar of cherries, which they shared for breakfast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
I don’t want to have this caring, concerned friendship; I don’t want her to suggest another breakfast, another diner.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
"I have weekly breakfasts, we have a tent at events like agricultural fairs," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
Means demanded stricter limits on added sugars, protein in breakfasts and 100% whole grain products, changes that roughly quadrupled the cost.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
For years, when I remembered those breakfasts, I focused on all the times I had said no.
From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026
“It’s a place to help veterans work through the VA, to help veterans job source, to help veterans come together for Taco Tuesdays and breakfasts and dinners,” Chandler says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
After what seemed like weeks, I went back to school, by which time the elections had been won, the breakfasts ceased, and my classmates had found someone else to tease.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
Mitt Romney in 2012 famously declared in Mississippi that he'd just breakfasted on "a biscuit and some cheesy grits" — drawing groans from a crowd who knew he meant cheese grits.
From US News ● Feb. 19, 2016
The well-heeled passengers breakfasted on smoked salmon and pastries, then boarded an air-conditioned Cuban government bus for a day of touring the city.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 7, 2015
One day in May, Rigault breakfasted on Chateaubriand aux truffes; a few days later, the fare included bottles of Pommard, Veuve Clicquot, and Nuits-Saint-Georges.
From The New Yorker ● Dec. 15, 2014
We hastily strung up the ultralight silicone-coated tarp we’d bought specially for the trip, and breakfasted under it in relative comfort.
From New York Times ● Jan. 25, 2013
Far back behind them stood the high place where they had breakfasted.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Clients include breakfasting Qataris, construction and security guards off overnight shifts and, this week, tourists in soccer jerseys descending on the country, where foreigners, mostly migrant workers, form the bulk of the 3 million population.
From Reuters ● Nov. 24, 2022
In the future, you could be breakfasting on false banana or snacking on pandanus tree fruit.
From BBC ● May 21, 2022
Bonus: This quirk makes stollen the ideal make-ahead treat for all your holiday gifting, breakfasting, and last-minute company needs.
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2021
Wipe with vinegar: Prep the kitchen and pantry for early breakfasting and quick lunch packing.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 9, 2021
Conclusion reached by the Annex while breakfasting at nine: this is a trial landing, like the one two years ago in Dieppe.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
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