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

Explanation

Anything canned is stored in a jar or can. It’s usually food, but prerecorded music is also canned. And, if you get fired from a job, you’ve been canned. Don’t cry, though, it’s better than being stuck in a jar. When someone talks about "canned goods," they mean all the food you can buy that comes in a can, like canned green beans and canned pineapple. Home-preserved food is also canned, even if it's in a glass jar. This adjective takes on a derogatory slant when it describes music that's recorded rather than played live, or an answer that sounds prepared rather than real.

Example Sentences

Use ready-made powerhouses Miso, canned beans, coconut cream, good stock: ingredients that arrive already carrying flavor.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

Researchers believe this method could be applied to other archived seafood, such as canned sardines, offering a new way to explore historical ecosystems.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

Another trend visible across social networks is one of growing emergency preparedness: people stockpiling canned food, torches and water bottles, and assembling emergency backpacks.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

If a societal breakdown is what worries you then gold has some unique appeal, along with canned food and ammunition.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

As I had guessed, most of it was canned food.

From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien

Related Words

• bottled