: a brittle or chewy glazed usually salted slender bread often shaped like a loose knot
Examples of pretzel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This grab-and-go snack is a delightful combination of cereal, pretzels, peanut butter, marshmallows, brown sugar, and honey.
—
Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 1 May 2026
Pretzels and Hummus For a larger snack eaten more than an hour before your workout, pretzels with hummus can work well.
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 1 May 2026
Sobo 151 If watching playoff hockey (or basketball, let’s face it) puts your stomach in a knot, the Bavarian pretzel at Sobo 151 will untie it.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2026
Jamba is known for its smoothies, fruit bowls, matcha, cold brews, sandwiches and pretzels.
—Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
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Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 1 May 2026
Pretzels and Hummus For a larger snack eaten more than an hour before your workout, pretzels with hummus can work well.
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 1 May 2026
Sobo 151 If watching playoff hockey (or basketball, let’s face it) puts your stomach in a knot, the Bavarian pretzel at Sobo 151 will untie it.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2026
Jamba is known for its smoothies, fruit bowls, matcha, cold brews, sandwiches and pretzels.
—Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretzel
Cite this Entry
“Pretzel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretzel. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pretzel
noun
pret·zel
ˈpret-səl 
: a brown cracker that is salted and usually hard and shaped like a loose knot
Etymology
from German Brezel "pretzel," derived from Latin brachiatus (adjective) "having branches like arms," from brachium, "arm" — related to brace entry 2
Word Origin
Pretzels were probably first made in the U.S. during the 19th century by immigrants from Germany. The English word pretzel comes from the German Brezel. The familiar knot-shaped pretzel has been known in Germanic countries for centuries. Its German name comes from the Latin brachiatus, which means "having branches like arms." The pretzel likely got its name because its knot shape looks something like a pair of folded arms.
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