nosh

American  

[nosh] / nɒʃ /

verb (used without object)

• noshes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• noshed,
  past participle,  past
• noshing
  present participle

1. to snack or eat between meals.

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verb (used with object)

• noshes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• noshed,
  past participle,  past
• noshing
  present participle

1. to snack on.

   They noshed peanuts and cookies while watching television.

noun

1. a snack.

nosh British  

/ nɒʃ /

noun

1. food or a meal

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verb

1. to eat

Usage

What does nosh mean? Nosh means to eat, especially by snacking, as in When I work from home it’s hard not to nosh all day. It also means to munch on or snack on something, as in I’m getting a little hungry, so I’m just going to nosh on crackers to tide me over until dinner. It can also be a noun meaning a snack, as in Let’s have a little nosh before the movie.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nosher
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• noshing
  present
• noshed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• nosh
  simple
• noshes
  simple
• have noshed
  perfect
• has noshed
  perfect
• am noshing
  progressive
• are noshing
  progressive
• is noshing
  progressive
• have been noshing
  perfect progressive
• has been noshing
  perfect progressive

Past

• noshed
  simple
• had noshed
  perfect
• was noshing
  progressive
• were noshing
  progressive
• had been noshing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will nosh
  simple
• will have noshed
  perfect
• will be noshing
  progressive
• will have been noshing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of nosh

1955–60; < Yiddish nashn; Middle High German naschen, Old High German nascōn to nibble, gnaw; cognate with Danish naske, Swedish snaska

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Explanation

To nosh is to have a snack. You might nosh on a slice of cold pizza and a handful of chocolate chips after school. Many people like to nosh on popcorn while watching movies, and you could nosh on the cookies you baked for the school bake sale. You can also call a meal a nosh, especially if it's just a snack: "Let's have a nosh before we head back out on the hiking trail." Nosh comes from the Yiddish word -nashn, "nibble," and its earliest use in English, around 1917, was as a shortened form of nosh-house, or "restaurant."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nosh noshes noshed noshing

A three-ingredient treat: If you’d rather nosh on a less processed snack, Noah Lederman recommends a super-fresh dish that’s perfect for late summer: a heavenly concoction he’s dubbed Fish Crudo With Melon and Tomato Water.

From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2026

People now nosh on “steakcuterie” cutting boards arranged with steak, eggs and guacamole.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

Sink into one of the plush leather banquettes to nosh on steakhouse classics like steak tartare, creamed kale and the most incredible double cheeseburger topped with in-house American cheese and dill aioli.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 1, 2024

They don’t speak the same “language” or nosh on the same food.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 29, 2024

“Excellent nosh, Petunia. It’s normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after....”

From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling

And the national chain Myungrang Hotdog specializes in Asian fusion noshes such as a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos-studded rice-batter corn dog and another version with squid ink.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 6, 2024

With respect to the players, some of D.C.’s best chefs and restaurants also shared the spotlight, featuring mostly light, refreshing bites — many seafood inspired — with a couple of comfort food noshes mixed in.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 31, 2023

Marvin sat low in a wheelchair at one end of a table piled with shrimp, grapes and other noshes.

From New York Times ● Nov. 17, 2021

All I know is that my three favorites noshes in 2019 came from the hands of women.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 20, 2019

Also plenty of $4-$5 noshes, including meatballs, ricotta gnocchi and a fried mozzarella sandwich.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 5, 2019

Sandwiched between laborers, he noshed on a cheeseburger as caterers circled the area with platters of hot dogs and steamed lobster.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2025

The neighborhoods' smallest residents noshed on hallacas, leaving their faces caked in the crumbs.

From Reuters ● Dec. 23, 2022

Together, father and son ate apricot leather from DeLaurenti, enjoyed lunch at the Athenian or Copacabana, noshed on deli pickles and nibbled raw rhubarb.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 17, 2021

Now, style-hungry patrons can shop for vintage clothing and baubles where, previously, ramen noodles were slurped and bagels were noshed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2020

While guests noshed on branzino, steak and pasta, the groom’s brother, He-myong, shared a slide show of Mr. Woo.

From New York Times ● May 25, 2018

There, she found joy noshing on chicken tenders, turkey legs and Mickey Mouse cookies.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2025

Planning to stay all night, they were in a rather upbeat mood, noshing on donated pizza and snacks.

From New York Times ● Apr. 19, 2024

Alaska’s most-watched popularity contest, Fat Bear Week involves residents picking their favorite fat brown bear who’s been stocking up for winter by noshing on salmon in Katmai National Park & Preserve.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 29, 2023

The digital rendition of Venus, goddess of love, based on Sandro Botticelli’s Renaissance masterpiece “Birth of Venus,” can be seen noshing on pizza and snapping selfies for her Instagram page.

From Washington Times ● May 6, 2023

The advice which Roland Clewe gave to Samuel Block was simple enough and perhaps unnecessary, but there was noshing else for him to say.

From The Great Stone of Sardis by Frank Richard Stockton

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