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In the decades following its first use in 1902, the surrounding context of greasy spoon usually included words along the lines of lousy, wind up eating in, slinging hash, the underside of society, settle for, or rather starve. And while things haven't changed entirely, a recent wave of nostalgia has elevated the status of greasy spoons. Since the 1970s, the descriptions might contain words like fabled, distinction, beloved, classic, an institution, fondness for, and comfort food. Now you can consult a Greasy Spoon Guide and read up on Best Greasy Spoons, or lunch at a diner restored to look like a greasy spoon. Some of these eateries are now even named "The Greasy Spoon."
Examples of greasy spoon in a Sentence
Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2025
Run by ex-party girl Wendy, unhinged chef Milius, and odd busboy Willard, this Fresno greasy spoon must overcome unpaid bills and a once-in-a-lifetime volcanic eruption.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2025
Residents of New Hampshire, where Presidential hopefuls often court diners at greasy spoons, have come to expect high-level politico drop-ins.
—Dan Greene, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
So far, Pilcher says Germans seem to love the state’s array of greasy spoons.
—Will Peischel, Curbed, 7 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for greasy spoon
Cite this Entry
“Greasy spoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greasy%20spoon. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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