sandwich
noun
two or more slices of bread with a layer of meat, fish, cheese, etc., between them.
sandwich
1 American
[sand-wich, san-]
/ ˈsænd wɪtʃ, ˈsæn- /
noun
-
sandwiches
plural
-
two or more slices of bread with a layer of meat, fish, cheese, etc., between them.
a tuna sandwich.
-
a partially slit bread roll, pita, etc., with a filling.
a falafel sandwich.
-
something resembling or suggesting a sandwich, as something in horizontal layers.
a plywood sandwich.
verb (used with object)
-
sandwiches,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sandwiched,
past participle, past
-
sandwiching
present participle
-
to put into a sandwich.
-
to insert between two other things.
to sandwich a personal appointment between two business meetings.
Sandwich
2
American
[sand-wich, san-]
/ ˈsænd wɪtʃ, ˈsæn- /
noun
sandwich
British
/ ˈsænwɪdʒ, -wɪtʃ /
noun
-
two or more slices of bread, usually buttered, with a filling of meat, cheese, etc
-
anything that resembles a sandwich in arrangement
verb
-
to insert tightly between two other things
-
to put into a sandwich
-
to place between two dissimilar things
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
sandwichsimple
-
sandwichessimple
-
have sandwichedperfect
-
has sandwichedperfect
-
am sandwichingprogressive
-
are sandwichingprogressive
-
is sandwichingprogressive
-
have been sandwichingperfect progressive
-
has been sandwichingperfect progressive
Past
-
sandwichedsimple
-
had sandwichedperfect
-
was sandwichingprogressive
-
were sandwichingprogressive
-
had been sandwichingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sandwich
First recorded in 1755–65; named after the fourth Earl of Sandwich (1718–92)
Explanation
A sandwich is a meal in the form of two pieces of bread with meat, cheese, or some other filling between them. Your favorite lunch might be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. When you put something between slices of bread, it's a sandwich. It's named for the Fourth Earl of Sandwich who's credited with inventing it. Sandwich is a verb too, that describes putting something between two other things, like sandwiching gym class between math and lunch. Sometimes sandwich involves being squeezed uncomfortably, like having to sandwich yourself between people on a crowded elevator or subway car.
Vocabulary lists containing sandwich
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 3
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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.
See Examples For:
Just wait till you see the industrial sandwich factory where Bernie works.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
Hunks of sourdough or Texas toast, torn cornbread muffins or classic white sandwich bread, Hawaiian rolls or challah: all solid choices.
From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026
The sandwich shop had struggled to maintain supply of the cola for the last eight years as the distributor cut back production due to the rising cost of aluminium.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
The front page of the Daily Star is dedicated to a confession from Declan Donnelly, who said he once forgot to pay for an egg and bacon sandwich from Marks & Spencer.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Jonesy talks through a smiling mouth full of sandwich.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
By January 2021, more than 20 American fast-food brands had introduced or rereleased chicken sandwiches, including Panda Express, which launched an Orange Chicken Sandwich.
From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026
Sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s posted an increased profit ahead of its proposed initial public offering.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Though humans have been making bread for thousands of years, the sandwich as we know it today is said to owe its popularity to John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2025
Assemble the Sandwich: On a toasted slice of sourdough, pile the giardiniera chicken salad.
From Salon ● Mar. 27, 2025
“It belonged to Bartholomew of Sandwich himself. It is the wish of my people that you accept it,” said Vikus.
From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins
By January 2021, more than 20 American fast-food brands had introduced or rereleased chicken sandwiches, including Panda Express, which launched an Orange Chicken Sandwich.
From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026
Albie-Junior Thomas finished the Three Peaks Challenge in 22 hours and 30 minutes alongside his dad, powered by ham and cheese sandwiches, sour sweets and four months' training.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
It does not know where I live, what time I usually eat lunch or whether I have recently been searching for sandwiches.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
He used to order from Chick-fil-A two chicken sandwiches, four chicken strips and 10 chicken nuggets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
She made the best tuna sandwiches with tomatoes.
From "Case of the Sneaky Snowman: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #5" by Carolyn Keene
Wales travel to face Portugal on 24 September in the first of four fixtures in this newly extended international break, with a home match against World Cup quarter-finalists Norway sandwiched by two games with Denmark.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
Dozens of “staff members” fill rows of desks in the bullpen — some clack away on keyboards, others have phone receivers sandwiched between their head and shoulders while taking notes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Per one Redditor, goat cheese and fig jam sandwiched between a date makes for an excellent sweet-savory snack.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
"Mining has destroyed our region," said Salle Kumar, a 34-year-old farmer who lives in a village sandwiched between two massive mines in Rajasthan.
From Barron's ● May 31, 2026
I glanced at the old cooking notebook my mom made for me sandwiched between the can of sugar and the can of flour on the counter.
From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds
Job growth averaged 150,000 to 200,000 a month in the decade sandwiching the 2020-2021 pandemic.
From MarketWatch ● May 7, 2026
“Apartment Window” is nearly abstract, sandwiching a constellation of peeling, sun-bleached cartoon stickers between a reflected sunset and the stripes of vertical blinds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026
Our gulab jamun ice cream cakes have become a defining product for Malai: saffron syrup–soaked cardamom cakes sandwiching our rose with Cinnamon roasted Almonds Ice Cream .
From Salon ● May 31, 2025
The second Haas of Oliver Bearman took 10th for the second race running, the two cars sandwiching the Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda.
From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2025
I lean close to the wall, the open door sandwiching me, touching my toes.
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
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.
