crash diet

American  

[krash dahy-it] / ˈkræʃ ˈdaɪ ɪt /

noun

1. a severe limitation of food intake or food selection intended to help someone lose a lot of weight very quickly.

   A crash diet that completely eliminates some food groups is likely to do more harm than good—and unlikely to result in realistic weight loss.

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verb (used without object)

1. to severely limit one’s food intake or food selection in order to lose a lot of weight very quickly.

   It’s better to lose weight slowly and keep it off than to crash diet and gain it all back.

Etymology

Origin of crash diet

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

But most affected stocks gained it all back and then some after their crash diet 28 months ago.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

It wasn't about trying to lose weight or kick off another crash diet.

From Salon • May 6, 2023

"It’s not any kind of fad diet or crash diet, he just cut out the junk and started working out," the source alleged.

From Fox News • Oct. 7, 2021

Noticeably overweight, he went on a crash diet before the 1994 World Cup, hosted by the United States.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2020

Lawrence had expected that the Rad Lab, like other scientific institutions, would be placed on a crash diet after the war as the torrent of military funding dried up.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik