variants or less commonly pan fry or panfry
pan-fried also pan fried or panfried; pan-frying also pan frying or panfrying; pan-fries also pan fries or panfries

transitive verb

: to cook in a frying pan with a small amount of fat
Pan-fry the onions until golden-brown.
The fish fillets may be baked or pan-fried.

Examples of pan-fry 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.
Dip whole flower heads in a simple batter of flour, egg and milk, then pan-fry until golden. Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026 The classic preparation, popularized in part by the iconic Julia Child, features a whole filet of Dover sole, dredged in flour and pan-fried in butter until golden. Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026 Pan-Frying at High Temperatures Like with charcoal grilling, pan-frying meat and poultry at high temperatures can produce HCAs. Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 28 Apr. 2026 Wondering how to pan-fry pork chops and keep them tender? Wini Moranville, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2026 These decadent Maryland-style crab cakes celebrate the flavors of the Old Line State and are ready to be baked or pan-fried. Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026 At dinner, the chef prepared my fish simply, pan-fried and served atop peas and fingerling potatoes. Kim Cross, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026 Japanese radish is pan-fried in soy sauce until golden brown in this comforting side. Chihiro Tomioka, Saveur, 5 Feb. 2026 And for another layer of textural diversity, the tops of the buns are pan-fried. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pan-fry was in 1916

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pan-fry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pan-fry. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

panfry

verb
panfried; panfrying
: to cook in a frying pan with a small amount of fat
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster