store-bought

American  

[stawr-bawt, stohr-] / ˈstɔrˈbɔt, ˈstoʊr- /

adjective

Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.

1. commercially made rather than homemade.

---

Etymology

Origin of store-bought

First recorded in 1900–05

---

Explanation

If you purchase something from a shop, you can describe it as store-bought. If you don't have time to cook for your friend's potluck, you can stop and pick up a store-bought lasagna on the way. This North American adjective was coined in the early 20th century, right around the time the first grocery stores opened in the U.S. In Britain, most people say shop-bought instead. Store-bought is a good word to use for distinguishing food that's sold in stores from homemade: "I made my grandfather's award-winning brownies for the bake sale, but I noticed that everyone else brought store-bought cookies."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

store-bought

The idea of letting children consume goodies prepared by a stranger might seem unthinkable now, but Chason Gordon argues that we’ve lost something by relying solely on store-bought candy.

From Slate ● Oct. 29, 2026

She also shows us her New York apartment, which doubles as the set of her new podcast, and shares why even she opts for store-bought cheesecake sometimes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026

Back in New Jersey, dinnertime with his biological family feels as cold and stale as their meal of frozen peas and store-bought white bread.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

All of these recipes call for store-bought chicken stock but, of course, you can use homemade stock, too.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

We each had a room with a two-sheeted bed, plenty to eat and store-bought clothes to wear.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---