vending machine

noun

: a coin-operated machine for selling merchandise

Examples of vending machine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Maryland more than doubled its naloxone distribution between 2021 and 2025, including via vending machines, emergency medical services, and programs in which public safety personnel provide the drug to people at the scene of an overdose. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026 The bank had expected profit to decline on the back of higher raw material and tea leaf costs, as well as expenses related to the company’s vending machine business. — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 There is still no timeline for the vending machine's return to Mount Washington. — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 The vending machine exchange happened, as did the VIP concierge’s appearance long after the crisis had passed. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vending machine

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vending machine was circa 1895

Rhymes for vending machine

See All Rhymes for vending machine

Browse Nearby Words

vendible
vending machine
vendition
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vending machine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vending%20machine. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

vending machine

noun
: a machine from which one may get merchandise after putting in coins

More from Merriam-Webster on vending machine

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vending machine

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