1
: food for animals especially when taken by browsing or grazing
The grass serves as forage for livestock.
2
[forage entry 2]
: the act of foraging : search for provisions
They made forages to find food.
foraged; foraging
1
: to strip of provisions : collect forage from
2
: to secure by foraging
foraged a chicken for the feast
1
: to wander in search of forage or food
2
: to secure forage (as for horses) by stripping the country
4
: to make a search : rummage
forager
noun
Synonyms
Examples of forage in a Sentence
Noun
The grass serves as forage for livestock.
Verb
The cows were foraging in the pasture.
He had to forage for firewood.
Recent Examples on the Web
Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 25 Dec. 2024
The waters surrounding the island also support coral reefs, sargassum and seaweed; endangered green sea turtles often visit to forage.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Dec. 2024
Scott Travers, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
In an online foraging game, participants had to collect virtual berries and decide whether to continue depleting the resources or move to nearby patches.
—Ryan McRae, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for forage 
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Noun
Warming oceans, regulations that have created an uptick in striper forage, and milder winters that make fishing tolerable for more anglers have all helped extend the season.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 25 Dec. 2024
The waters surrounding the island also support coral reefs, sargassum and seaweed; endangered green sea turtles often visit to forage.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
Raised in captivity, Jackie’s life revolved around the careful provision of food, water, shelter and play—not the hunting and foraging instincts that are usually honed in the wild.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
In an online foraging game, participants had to collect virtual berries and decide whether to continue depleting the resources or move to nearby patches.
—Ryan McRae, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for forage
Dictionary Entries Near forage
Cite this Entry
“Forage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forage. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
forage
1 of 2 noun
for·age
ˈfȯr-ij 
ˈfär-
1
: food (as pasture) for browsing or grazing animals
2
: a search for food or supplies
forage
2 of 2 verb
foraged; foraging
2
: to make a search especially for food or supplies
forage for grain
forage for firewood
3
: to get by foraging
forager
noun
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