vending machine

noun

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

vending machine

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of vending machine¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

For Cloie-May, 17, from Bangor, Gwynedd, extra support via the EMA means she can buy a drink or snack from the vending machine without worrying too much about the cost.

From BBC

And in 2022, food delivery company DoorDash shut down Chowbotics — the company behind a robotic salad-making vending machine — roughly 18 months after it purchased the startup because it didn’t live up to expectations.

From Los Angeles Times

David Yamane, a professor of sociology at Wake Forest University and an expert on guns in America, told me that any time something regarding guns moves into the fore—like, say, an A.I.-powered bullet vending machine—it just adds fuel to the fire.

From Slate

Don Spencer, president of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, was initially enticed by the convenience of an ammunition vending machine.

From Slate

However, he conceded that the vending machine would be a fallback for him; something to use when he’s in a pinch and alternative purchasing options are not available.

From Slate

Related Words

• vendor