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Synonyms

vending machine

American  

noun

  • vending machines
    plural
  1. a coin-operated machine for selling small articles, beverages, etc.


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of vending machine

First recorded in 1905–10

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:

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

Fujairah is like a "huge vending machine" for ships, Stanley added.

From BBC Mar. 16, 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

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

On my way out of the vending machine alcove, this dude accidentally bumped into me.

From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin

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