cooked in a pan or on a griddle over direct heat, usually in fat or oil.
Slang.
intoxicated from drugs; high.
exhausted or incapacitated through intemperance; burned-out.
First recorded in 1350–1400, for the adjective
Things that are fried are cooked in very hot fat or oil. You can order fried rice at a Chinese restaurant, or fried clams at your favorite seafood place. Some foods are lightly stir fried, while others are submerged in boiling oil and deep fried. At a state fair, there are offerings including fried dough and fried chicken, and it's even possible to eat fried candy bars or fried ice cream. Colloquially, someone who's exhausted might say, "I'm totally fried." Fried comes from the verb fry, which has the Latin root frigere, both "to fry" and "to roast."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
So far, fast-casual brands appear to gain customers from the trend, while eateries such as fast-food chains that are heavy on fried foods could end up losing ground, according to Wall Street analysts.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
I cannot report on the fried appetizers or char-broiled steaks that comprise much of the menu.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
This included eggs eaten on their own in forms such as scrambled, fried, or boiled, as well as eggs found in foods like baked goods and packaged products.
From Science Daily • May 7, 2026
He’s now sent hundreds of homesick New Englanders classic dishes, like pork fried rice and boneless ribs from area favorites like Golden Temple in Brookline and Fantasy Island in Salem.
From Salon • May 3, 2026
Felix got the fried shrimp even though he didn't have an appetite.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
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.
