Meaning & use

perishable

adjective·Academic

Likely to decay or spoil quickly, especially food that must be kept cold.

See it in a sentence

Perishable groceries like milk and meat should be refrigerated as soon as you get home.

The airline warned that perishable cargo needed to clear customs within a few hours.

A note on using this word

Perishable is most often applied to food, but can describe any item that deteriorates over time, such as flowers.

Words with a similar meaning

spoilable

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

nonperishabledurable

Another way to use it

2. noun

A food item that spoils quickly and requires careful storage or prompt use.

The pantry was stocked with canned goods, while the perishables filled the fridge.

Make it your own

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