1
: a person who dines (as in a restaurant) or who is dining
2
a
b
chiefly US
: a typically small, informal, and inexpensive restaurant that has an extensive menu and that is often made from or designed to resemble a modified railroad dining car
had lunch at a roadside diner
Synonyms
Examples of diner in a Sentence
we'll just grab a quick hamburger at the local diner
Recent Examples on the Web
In them, quotidian life comes alive as performance pieces where the music is created by kitchenware inside a diner, the sound of a basketball bouncing off the ground in a park or passengers’ belongings on a train ride.
—
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 6 Apr. 2024
Plating Tweezers Like so many of the cuisines American diners claim as their favorites, plating tweezers originated abroad.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
Witness testimony recounted Kouri buying the sandwich from a local diner the same week her housekeeper allegedly sold several dozen fentanyl pills to Kouri.
—USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024
For a generation of kids from Beverly Hills, that spot was a simple diner run by a humble man of few words at a grill.
—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Area residents for 45 years, the couple have done a great job of turning a former Greek diner — the long-running Amphora Restaurant — into a smart dining room and lounge.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
Reunited, Booth and Brennan decompressed by singing together at the diner, as partners do.
—Kelly Connolly, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2024
Best Restaurants The Fox Located in the historic Avondale neighborhood, The Fox exudes diner vibes with its long counter, swivel stools, open kitchen, town gossip, and wall-to-wall pop culture memorabilia.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024
Food Does this new robot-staffed chocolate emporium signal a themed restaurant comeback?
March 2, 2023
Expansive screens surround the diners — an underwater scene of colorful jellyfish accompanies a seafood pairing.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 6 Apr. 2024
Plating Tweezers Like so many of the cuisines American diners claim as their favorites, plating tweezers originated abroad.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
Witness testimony recounted Kouri buying the sandwich from a local diner the same week her housekeeper allegedly sold several dozen fentanyl pills to Kouri.
—USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024
For a generation of kids from Beverly Hills, that spot was a simple diner run by a humble man of few words at a grill.
—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Area residents for 45 years, the couple have done a great job of turning a former Greek diner — the long-running Amphora Restaurant — into a smart dining room and lounge.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
Reunited, Booth and Brennan decompressed by singing together at the diner, as partners do.
—Kelly Connolly, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2024
Best Restaurants The Fox Located in the historic Avondale neighborhood, The Fox exudes diner vibes with its long counter, swivel stools, open kitchen, town gossip, and wall-to-wall pop culture memorabilia.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024
Food Does this new robot-staffed chocolate emporium signal a themed restaurant comeback?
March 2, 2023
Expansive screens surround the diners — an underwater scene of colorful jellyfish accompanies a seafood pairing.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'diner.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing diner
Dictionary Entries Near diner
Cite this Entry
“Diner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diner. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
diner
noun
din·er
ˈdī-nər 
1
: one that dines
2
a
b
: a restaurant in the shape of a railroad car
More from Merriam-Webster on diner
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share