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
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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:
Arby’s has named Jenna Bromberg its new chief marketing officer as the sandwich chain attempts to regain momentum and parent company Inspire Brands prepares for a planned IPO.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
On the morning of 11 December 2022, Al-Marimi said his captors gave him a sandwich and some tea and told him to pack his belongings.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
The launch recalls Popeyes’ original chicken hit sandwich, which sold out nationwide.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
After the sandwich company was purchased by Blackstone in January 2025, customer complaints about declining quality and rising prices have dogged it ever since.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026
“Agatha Swanburne was a very wise woman who once said, ‘Few would waste a perfectly good sandwich, so why waste a perfectly good mind?’
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
Zavodovski is part of the South Sandwich Islands, a remote archipelago north of the Antarctic continent which is a UK overseas territory.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Despite his reforms, however, Sandwich and his sailors couldn’t save the Colonies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026
Because it was never in doubt that Sandwich Guy threw the sandwich; he admitted it to law enforcement.
From Slate ● Nov. 7, 2025
Assemble the Sandwich: On a toasted slice of sourdough, pile the giardiniera chicken salad.
From Salon ● Mar. 27, 2025
“We do know that it was to Sandwich the most sacred and maddening of his visions. For he could never see the outcome, although it came to him many times.”
From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins
Puka Nacua left Philadelphia last week satisfied with a victory and satiated with sandwiches.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
There’s a lot Tom Nancy likes about his new life as a human boy: sandwiches, climbing trees, dessert after dinner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
"I still do buffets and things for players and long-standing fans. We have a game tonight, and I'm making the sandwiches now."
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
Parents had arrived equipped with sandwiches, books, playing cards and colouring paper to entertain their children during the wait for the pope on his way to a makeshift alter down the road.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
He had a fake name, no legal training, and his key piece of evidence was a list of twenty-seven different sandwiches.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
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
The addresses were located in neighboring office buildings in Malé, with the Aeroflot office sandwiched between them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
It's a short journey from Zhu's home in Guangzhou on China's southern coast to the crowded street in Hong Kong's Sham Shui Po district, where Hunter is sandwiched between fabric sellers, garages and trendy cafes.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 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
I watch Ren from the corner of my eyes as I sit sandwiched between Hammie and Asher.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Job growth averaged 150,000 to 200,000 a month in the decade sandwiching the 2020-2021 pandemic.
From MarketWatch ● May 7, 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
He retired the next six, including one strikeout swinging, but ended the session by sandwiching two walks around a line-drive double.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 25, 2025
I motion for Suma to remain at the back of the line, sandwiching the three of them between us.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
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