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:
“You’re in that sort of sandwich generation,” she says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2026
The Kosher Fraud Enforcement Unit of New Jersey’s Division of Consumer Affairs is determined to protect you from unwittingly thinking a beef-and-cheese sandwich is kosher.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
I love a barbecue smoked-tofu wrap with shredded red cabbage and corn relish, or a bánh mì-inspired sandwich with crunchy vegetables.
From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026
I’ll add some capers or a pickle or two, then you have a sandwich for the rest of the day or into the next morning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
I take a tentative bite of my mushy sandwich and talk through the mouthful.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
Sandwich would go on to reshape naval procurement and dockyards, and with his pursuit of modern ship design became critical to the 18th-century Royal Navy’s expansion into the world’s biggest industrial unit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026
Al Wallis, owner of the The Sandwich Bar in Looe, said the cost of living crisis had made it a challenging time but the influx of holidaymakers over the bank holiday "makes a big difference".
From BBC ● May 26, 2026
Anyway, the jury came back with a verdict of not guilty, acquitting Sandwich Guy of all charges.
From Slate ● Nov. 7, 2025
At Attari Sandwich Shop, known for its beef tongue sandwich, the pre-revolution Iranian flag hung near the cash register — but none of the diners wanted to give an interview.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2025
“Remember you, when Sandwich arrived in the Underland the crawlers had been here for countless generations. No doubt they will remain when all thought of warm blood has passed,” said Vikus.
From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins
But the Chargers quarterback was making his own sandwiches Sunday — or at least that’s how it seemed to an opposing defender who picked off one of his passes that afternoon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
I love its deep, savory tomato flavor in pasta, sandwiches and vegetables.
From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026
In September, executives announced what they said would be the company’s biggest menu upgrade ever, with new chicken sandwiches, wings and wraps, hand-breaded chicken, fresher coffee and larger burgers.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
BJ’s is investing in its menu to keep the momentum going, for instance by upgrading its pizza offerings and adding new burgers and chicken sandwiches, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
At Pepe’s Café, they gave me all the Cuban ham sandwiches I could eat.
From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm
A trip to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup is sandwiched between those two home matches.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
The Los Angeles neighborhood, which gets its name from a massive boulder in the hills that resembles the face of an eagle, is sandwiched between Pasadena and Glendale and two major freeways.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 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
Kosovo's parliament has formally declared Obilic, sandwiched between two plants, an "environmentally endangered zone" because of persistent pollution.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
I sat on the hard wooden pew, sandwiched between Gus and Bertha.
From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor
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
Tests that involve sandwiching the battery between two pieces of ham do not show the kind of damage inflicted by commercially available button batteries, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2024
She clasped her free hand around mine, sandwiching my fist between her small but strong fingers.
From "I Will Always Write Back" by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda
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