mouthful

[ mouth-fool ]

/ ˈmaʊθˌfʊl /

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See synonyms for: mouthful / mouthfuls on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural mouth·fuls.

the amount a mouth can hold.

the amount taken into the mouth at one time.

a small quantity.

Informal. a spoken remark of great truth, relevance, effectiveness, etc.: You said a mouthful!

a long word or group of words, especially one that is hard to pronounce.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of mouthful

1375–1425; late Middle English. See mouth, -ful

usage note for mouthful

See -ful.

Words nearby mouthful

mouth, mouthbreeder, mouthbrooder, mouthed, mouthfeel, mouthful, mouth harp, mouthing, mouth off, mouth organ, mouthpart

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use mouthful in a sentence

I ate mouthful after mouthful, maybe filling back in the parts of me that had been carefully excised days before.
How Ice Cream Became My Own Personal Act of Resistance|Taylor Harris|November 10, 2021|Time
They roam through tree-shaded meadows, tearing up mouthfuls of clover while nursing their calves in tranquility.
The Cow That Could Feed the Planet|Aryn Baker/Maastricht, Netherlands|November 2, 2021|Time
With that in mind, some of the best dental chews for dogs are made with a mouthful of chemical compounds and vitamins designed to offer healthy benefits.
Best dental chews for dogs to brush up on oral health|Andrew Waite|September 23, 2021|Popular-Science
A mouthful of ingredients goes into making Greenies dental treats, which have been manufactured in Kansas City since 1996.
Best dental chews for dogs to brush up on oral health|Andrew Waite|September 23, 2021|Popular-Science

Between mouthfuls of sandwich, he swore we’d end up packing everything growing out back anyway—there wasn’t really a point to tending them now.
‘When the Rain Stops:’ a New Short Story by Bryan Washington|Bryan Washington|April 16, 2021|Time
He took a final mouthful of orange soda and glanced back at his girlfriend, Hutchins.
Money, Murder, and Adoption: The Wild Trial of the Polo King|Jacqui Goddard|October 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was 4:30 in the morning, I had a mouthful of blood and raw chicken and it just—you get yourself into a very strange place.
‘The Walking Dead’ Star Andrew Lincoln on the Terminus Cannibals Theory & Season Finale|Melissa Leon|March 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Swedish plane has got a mouthful of a name: the JAS 39E Gripen.
The Planet’s Best Stealth Fighter Isn’t Made in America|Bill Sweetman|March 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was a mouthful of a lesson, but after learning it once, you never had to memorize it again.
China’s Schools Teaches Kids to Take Tests, Obey the State, and Not Much More|Junheng Li|November 30, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Food in Calabria was pride, self-sufficiency and community all mixed together in one mouthful.
A Young Chef Travels to Calabria, Italy, and Learns the Old Ways of Cooking|Curtis Stone|November 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Haggard was in a state of suppressed excitement, and he couldn't eat a mouthful.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
He saw a large sheath-knife, and secured that in his own belt; then he took a mouthful of wine, and went to his post.
The Chequers|James Runciman
Here was porridge enough to last a small boy a lifetime, and he could not stop to taste one mouthful!
Stories the Iroquois Tell Their Children|Mabel Powers
With the disappearance of the last mouthful on her plate, Tilly drew a long breath.
The Sunbridge Girls at Six Star Ranch|Eleanor H. (Eleanor Hodgman) Porter
Young Joe tried to smile, with a slice of chicken in one hand and a spoonful of preserves in the other, and a mouthful of both.
The Rival Campers|Ruel Perley Smith

British Dictionary definitions for mouthful

mouthful

/ (ˈmaʊθˌfʊl) /

noun plural -fuls

as much as is held in the mouth at one time

a small quantity, as of food

a long word or phrase that is difficult to say

British informal an abusive response

informal, mainly US and Canadian an impressive remark (esp in the phrase say a mouthful)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with mouthful

mouthful

see say a mouthful.

mouthful

Origin of mouthful

usage note for mouthful

Words nearby mouthful

Words related to mouthful

How to use mouthful in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mouthful

Other Idioms and Phrases with mouthful