canned

American  

[kand] / kænd /

adjective

1. preserved in a can or jar.

   canned peaches.

2. Informal. recorded.

   canned music.

3. Informal. prepared in advance.

   a canned speech.

4. Slang. drunk.

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canned British  

/ kænd /

adjective

1. preserved and stored in airtight cans or tins

   canned meat

2. informal prepared or recorded in advance; artificial; not spontaneous

   canned music

3. a slang word for drunk

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Other Word Forms

• uncanned adjective
• well-canned adjective

Etymology

Origin of canned

First recorded in 1855–60; can ² + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Tinned sardines on toast reads as aspirational; canned salmon, to some, does not.

From Salon

The punchline comes from the canned line that established actors so often feed interviewers and talk show hosts when discussing their career goals.

From Salon

The Vietnamese grocery down my street, for example, always has the best Jasmine rice and canned coconut milk, though the protein prices are steeper.

From Salon

Weiss canned the segment on Sunday, just three hours before it was set to air, saying it “wasn’t ready” to be presented.

From Salon

On the old “Let’s Make a Deal,” it might have meant a case of canned squid.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bottled