vending machine

American  

noun

• vending machines
  plural

1. a coin-operated machine for selling small articles, beverages, etc.

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vending machine British  

noun

1. Also called: automat. a machine that automatically dispenses consumer goods such as cigarettes, food, or petrol, when money is inserted

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• vending machines
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of vending machine

First recorded in 1905–10

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vending machine

One reader uses an insulated lunch bag with reusable ice packs, along with sodas, so she doesn’t have to pay vending machine prices.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026

With Anthropic, another major AI startup, you will stress-test the AI “agent” idea in the most journalistically responsible way possible: by putting a bot-powered vending machine in a newsroom.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026

"I hadn't eaten, and the vending machine wasn't working, all those things including toilet facilities, the bright lights and the noise all impact on you especially if you aren't well," she said.

From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2026

He used Find My to locate the phone — at a vending machine for used electronics miles away, close to an ICE detention center.

From Salon ● Jan. 14, 2026

“C’mon,” I tell her, and we walk back over to the vending machine, even though I know we don’t have enough for anything.

From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist

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Related Words

• vendor

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