adjective
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preserved and stored in airtight cans or tins
canned meat
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informal prepared or recorded in advance; artificial; not spontaneous
canned music
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a slang word for drunk
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of canned
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These people should opt for cooked or canned produce, food-safety experts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
It was his idea to organize a food drive on Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon in the school parking lot, encouraging anyone and everyone to bring canned goods to help out his community.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
He’s pretty strong, so he’s capable of lifting lots of canned goods, but he’ll have the whole football team on hand for support.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
"The demand for water and canned goods has increased since this morning amid fears that services or supply chains will be affected," Kuwait resident Hassan Rayan, 61, said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
There is plenty of dog food in the store, but of course I have none up here, so I gave him a piece of corn bread and some canned hash.
From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien
Definitions 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.
