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
Examples of diner in a Sentence
we'll just grab a quick hamburger at the local diner
Recent Examples on the Web
After a representative of the new owners appeared at the meeting with photos of diners inside, new chairs and tables on the patio, a sign with restaurant business hours, receipts for meals and even a draft of a menu, commissioners agreed to give the business another chance.
—
Gary Warth, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
Research published in the Journal of Service Research found that third places, like malls, diners or cafés, help combat loneliness by providing spaces for social interaction and emotional support.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
The restaurant industry is already anticipating that the latest wave of tariffs will mean higher menu prices for diners.
—Dan Mangan,kevin Breuninger,christina Wilkie,michele Luhn, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025
Friday afternoon, the parking lot normally filled by diners enjoying the early-bird dinners was vacant except for a string of full-sized American cars gliding through to inspect the darkened doors.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for diner
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Gary Warth, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
Research published in the Journal of Service Research found that third places, like malls, diners or cafés, help combat loneliness by providing spaces for social interaction and emotional support.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
The restaurant industry is already anticipating that the latest wave of tariffs will mean higher menu prices for diners.
—Dan Mangan,kevin Breuninger,christina Wilkie,michele Luhn, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025
Friday afternoon, the parking lot normally filled by diners enjoying the early-bird dinners was vacant except for a string of full-sized American cars gliding through to inspect the darkened doors.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for diner
Cite this Entry
“Diner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diner. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
diner
noun
din·er
ˈdī-nər 
1
: one that dines
2
a
b
: a restaurant in the shape of a railroad car
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