spoonful
Americannoun
-
the amount that a spoon is able to hold
-
a small quantity
Spelling
See -ful.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of spoonful
First recorded in 1250–1300, spoonful is from the Middle English word sponeful. See spoon, -ful
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:
It is in our nature to see something new and spit it out like we are 2 years old and PepsiCo has offered us a spoonful of broccoli.
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
“I like to immerse myself and have a real experience and hopefully make it funny so it’s like a spoonful of sugar for the audience as they learn something.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
But until then, I cherish my cloistered time by the spoonful.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
Add a spoonful to your next homemade dressing: ranch dressing, Caesar dressing, coleslaw, anything mayo-based, and it suddenly tastes more alive.
From Salon ● May 28, 2026
"Sounds good," George said, before eating a spoonful of her yogurt.
From "Pony Problems: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #3" by Carolyn Keene
“The taste is the inheritance,” said Kaweenuntawong, who remembers sipping spoonfuls as a toddler.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
Think: the spoonfuls of things you always wish you had on hand but rarely want to make from scratch.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2025
He had two spoonfuls, Mr. Valdez, 31, said.
From New York Times ● Jan. 23, 2024
We put generous spoonfuls onto our white rice.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2023
He ate seven spoonfuls and then said, “No more. Too sick.”
From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien
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.
