Did you know?
English offers a smorgasbord of words for nonsense, some of which are better known as words for food. We have baloney, spinach, rhubarb, and toffee, not to mention full of beans. And if none of those offerings are to your taste, you can say that's pure banana oil! Seemingly innocuous applesauce was first introduced to this menu back in the early 20th century. Back then, there may have been some bias against the real stuff. Poet Wallace Stevens’s turn-of-the-century description of a meal consisting of "some unnameable smathering of greasy fritters . . . and of course the inevictable applesauce" shows a lack of respect that must have been shared by others.
Synonyms of applesauce
Examples of applesauce in a Sentence
Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 4 May 2026
If applesauce isn’t your thing, an apple or another piece of fruit can also work in a pinch.
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 1 May 2026
This three-ingredient applesauce is the best way to savor fall apples all year.
—Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2026
Friday, May 8, Mother’s Day Lunch, Chicken Cordon Bleu, mashed potatoes, carrots, applesauce, whole grain roll, milk.
—Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for applesauce
Cite this Entry
“Applesauce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/applesauce. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
applesauce
noun
