as in mouthfuls
a small piece or quantity of food
had only a bite to eat before rushing off
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Recent Examples of bites
Adam Harrington, CBS News, 18 May 2026
Come hungry, because there are Chinese bakeries, noodle shops, small vendors and many other affordable bites.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 18 May 2026
In all regions except the south central region, weekly rates of hospital visits for tick bites are the highest since 2017, the agency said.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026
These spicy bites can be made a day ahead.
—Shelly Westerhausen Worcel, Midwest Living, 18 May 2026
Jury members Ruth Negga, Stellan Skarsgård and Demi Moore squeezed in a few bites of veggies and seafood from generous courses that just kept on coming during Ami Paris’ Critics Week luncheon.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 17 May 2026
The bites were never big enough.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 16 May 2026
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches and mini quiche bites are easy to grab individually and provide substance to the picnic.
—Kylie Petty, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2026
The menu features craft cocktails, beer, wine, and a handful of light bites—Lili’s Martini, a lychee-and-lemon take on the classic cocktail, is the standout drink.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 May 2026
Charlotte Observer, 12 May 2026
Not long after, Jax Briggs (Mehcad Brooks) bites it in a separate fight with Shao Kahn, who brutally impales him with his hammer.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 9 May 2026
Dog bites your eye and JUSt your eye.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 9 May 2026
What will the halo and aspirational car space look like when the last V12 finally bites the dust?
—Jerry Perez, The Drive, 8 Apr. 2026
Once an octopus ambushes and bites its prey, the venom in its saliva paralyzes the prey, allowing the octopus to consume it.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
Once released, the robot’s shot is fate, untouched by the vigorous, broom-flailing choreography that so often determines whether a stone bites the button or drifts wide.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
When a mosquito comes and bites him, the bug immediately tastes the spice in his blood and flies away only to combust moments later.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 8 Feb. 2026
One is called Culex pipiens form pipiens, which only bites birds and lives in open air environments, and the other is called Culex pipiens form molestus — from the Latin word for annoying — which bites humans and thrives belowground.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
County health officials advise residents to prevent mosquito bites and reduce the risk of getting the virus.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 18 May 2026
Come hungry, because there are Chinese bakeries, noodle shops, small vendors and many other affordable bites.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 18 May 2026
In all regions except the south central region, weekly rates of hospital visits for tick bites are the highest since 2017, the agency said.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026
These spicy bites can be made a day ahead.
—Shelly Westerhausen Worcel, Midwest Living, 18 May 2026
Jury members Ruth Negga, Stellan Skarsgård and Demi Moore squeezed in a few bites of veggies and seafood from generous courses that just kept on coming during Ami Paris’ Critics Week luncheon.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 17 May 2026
The bites were never big enough.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 16 May 2026
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches and mini quiche bites are easy to grab individually and provide substance to the picnic.
—Kylie Petty, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2026
The menu features craft cocktails, beer, wine, and a handful of light bites—Lili’s Martini, a lychee-and-lemon take on the classic cocktail, is the standout drink.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 May 2026
Verb
As the region’s plentiful copperheads emerge this spring, North Carolinians may already know what to do if the venomous snake bites them — but what about their dogs?
—Charlotte Observer, 12 May 2026
Not long after, Jax Briggs (Mehcad Brooks) bites it in a separate fight with Shao Kahn, who brutally impales him with his hammer.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 9 May 2026
Dog bites your eye and JUSt your eye.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 9 May 2026
What will the halo and aspirational car space look like when the last V12 finally bites the dust?
—Jerry Perez, The Drive, 8 Apr. 2026
Once an octopus ambushes and bites its prey, the venom in its saliva paralyzes the prey, allowing the octopus to consume it.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
Once released, the robot’s shot is fate, untouched by the vigorous, broom-flailing choreography that so often determines whether a stone bites the button or drifts wide.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
When a mosquito comes and bites him, the bug immediately tastes the spice in his blood and flies away only to combust moments later.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 8 Feb. 2026
One is called Culex pipiens form pipiens, which only bites birds and lives in open air environments, and the other is called Culex pipiens form molestus — from the Latin word for annoying — which bites humans and thrives belowground.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bites
Noun
-
The possibility of a Chase and Taylor flirtation causing a rift with Miranda is briefly raised and just as swiftly quashed — through large mouthfuls of chips and salsa, Taylor assures Miranda at the sip-and-see that there is no there there.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
-
But now, the future of Lucille’s American Cafe, a Weston comfort-food institution serving up mouthfuls of nostalgia since 1999, is unclear.—
Phillip Valys,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Just like a Slurpee cup with multiple straws, whoever sucks the hardest gets the most.—
Robert Knight,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
-
In Episode 2, Cassie dresses like a baby and sucks on a pacifier, which caused quite a stir online.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sure, the box office hasn’t returned to full strength since COVID, and major franchises — Marvel too — haven’t been immune to the changing tastes of audiences.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
19 May 2026
-
For all the polish and precision of his cooking, Lagasse’s own tastes are refreshingly straightforward.—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Think of the way the path smells ahead of you, think of the freedom the wind is blowing your way.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
If anything looks or smells suspicious, avoid taking risks and get rid of it.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
In recent years, Amazon’s assumption of the Thursday Night Football package and exploratory nibbles from the likes of YouTube have poured billions of bonus bucks into the league’s coffers.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
11 May 2026
-
The only nibbles came from a handful of Division II or Division III programs.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bites.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bites. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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