sandwich
noun
two or more slices of bread with a layer of meat, fish, cheese, etc., between them.
sandwich
1 American
[sand-wich, san-]
/ ˈsænd wɪtʃ, ˈsæn- /
noun
-
sandwiches
plural
-
two or more slices of bread with a layer of meat, fish, cheese, etc., between them.
a tuna sandwich.
-
a partially slit bread roll, pita, etc., with a filling.
a falafel sandwich.
-
something resembling or suggesting a sandwich, as something in horizontal layers.
a plywood sandwich.
verb (used with object)
-
sandwiches,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sandwiched,
past participle, past
-
sandwiching
present participle
-
to put into a sandwich.
-
to insert between two other things.
to sandwich a personal appointment between two business meetings.
Sandwich
2
American
[sand-wich, san-]
/ ˈsænd wɪtʃ, ˈsæn- /
noun
sandwich
British
/ ˈsænwɪdʒ, -wɪtʃ /
noun
-
two or more slices of bread, usually buttered, with a filling of meat, cheese, etc
-
anything that resembles a sandwich in arrangement
verb
-
to insert tightly between two other things
-
to put into a sandwich
-
to place between two dissimilar things
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
sandwichsimple
-
sandwichessimple
-
have sandwichedperfect
-
has sandwichedperfect
-
am sandwichingprogressive
-
are sandwichingprogressive
-
is sandwichingprogressive
-
have been sandwichingperfect progressive
-
has been sandwichingperfect progressive
Past
-
sandwichedsimple
-
had sandwichedperfect
-
was sandwichingprogressive
-
were sandwichingprogressive
-
had been sandwichingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sandwich
First recorded in 1755–65; named after the fourth Earl of Sandwich (1718–92)
Explanation
A sandwich is a meal in the form of two pieces of bread with meat, cheese, or some other filling between them. Your favorite lunch might be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. When you put something between slices of bread, it's a sandwich. It's named for the Fourth Earl of Sandwich who's credited with inventing it. Sandwich is a verb too, that describes putting something between two other things, like sandwiching gym class between math and lunch. Sometimes sandwich involves being squeezed uncomfortably, like having to sandwich yourself between people on a crowded elevator or subway car.
Vocabulary lists containing sandwich
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 3
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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:
Arby’s has named Jenna Bromberg its new chief marketing officer as the sandwich chain attempts to regain momentum and parent company Inspire Brands prepares for a planned IPO.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
The launch recalls Popeyes’ original chicken hit sandwich, which sold out nationwide.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
After the sandwich company was purchased by Blackstone in January 2025, customer complaints about declining quality and rising prices have dogged it ever since.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026
You can, however, buy someone half of your sandwich or offer them a cup of coffee.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
“You bet I am,” Rio said as he unwrapped the sandwich and took a huge bite.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
Sandwich would go on to reshape naval procurement and dockyards, and with his pursuit of modern ship design became critical to the 18th-century Royal Navy’s expansion into the world’s biggest industrial unit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026
Al Wallis, owner of the The Sandwich Bar in Looe, said the cost of living crisis had made it a challenging time but the influx of holidaymakers over the bank holiday "makes a big difference".
From BBC ● May 26, 2026
I got a Vegan Avocado Sandwich for lunch, took an Uber home and posted a reel on Instagram about my first day on the trail.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 25, 2026
Anyway, the jury came back with a verdict of not guilty, acquitting Sandwich Guy of all charges.
From Slate ● Nov. 7, 2025
He’s moved to Ramsgate, England, a seaside town on the far east coast of England, south of Margate, north of Sandwich, near where the North Sea meets the Strait of Dover.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
Puka Nacua left Philadelphia last week satisfied with a victory and satiated with sandwiches.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
It was the Crunchwrap texture that Vo most wanted to emulate in one of his restaurant’s grilled-cheese sandwiches.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
In August, he finished the Three Peaks Challenge in 22 hours and 30 minutes alongside his dad, powered by ham and cheese sandwiches, sour sweets and four months' training.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
Parents had arrived equipped with sandwiches, books, playing cards and colouring paper to entertain their children during the wait for the pope on his way to a makeshift alter down the road.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
While the children enjoyed this strange but happy reunion with Mama Woof, Penelope fetched the picnic hamper and offered more sandwiches all around, for it seemed prudent to make sure their guest was not hungry.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
Dozens of “staff members” fill rows of desks in the bullpen — some clack away on keyboards, others have phone receivers sandwiched between their head and shoulders while taking notes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Kosovo's parliament has formally declared Obilic, sandwiched between two plants, an "environmentally endangered zone" because of persistent pollution.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
The ceremony took place behind an enclosure in a meadow where concertgoers streamed by, sandwiched between a space for “Freak Nature Puppets” and a pastry booth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Her village, Htomar, was sandwiched between a military base and an insurgent-controlled area.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
The Chevy sandwiched Orion against the wall of the nearest house.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
Job growth averaged 150,000 to 200,000 a month in the decade sandwiching the 2020-2021 pandemic.
From MarketWatch ● May 7, 2026
Our gulab jamun ice cream cakes have become a defining product for Malai: saffron syrup–soaked cardamom cakes sandwiching our rose with Cinnamon roasted Almonds Ice Cream .
From Salon ● May 31, 2025
The second Haas of Oliver Bearman took 10th for the second race running, the two cars sandwiching the Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda.
From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2025
Tests that involve sandwiching the battery between two pieces of ham do not show the kind of damage inflicted by commercially available button batteries, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2024
She clasped her free hand around mine, sandwiching my fist between her small but strong fingers.
From "I Will Always Write Back" by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
