Cool MateDinners vs Supper
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Dinners
Top 1,000 (very common)
Supper
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Dinners
| Dinners | Supper | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈdɪnəz//🇺🇸 //ˈdɪnərz// | 🇬🇧 //ˈsʌpə//🇺🇸 //ˈsʌpɚ// |
| Meaning | Meals eaten in the evening. | The evening meal. |
| Example | We have family dinners every Sunday night. | We have supper at six every evening. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| Collocations | formal dinners, family dinners, themed dinners, business dinners, casual dinners | have supper, prepare supper, supper time |
| Antonyms | breakfast, lunch | breakfast, lunch |
| Common mistakes | Confusing 'dinners' with 'lunches' when referring to different meal types., Using 'dinners' to refer to lunch meals., Using 'dinner' incorrectly to mean multiple events. | Confused with 'dinner' in some cultures., Used inappropriately in casual conversation., Mispronounced as 'sup-pr'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'dinners' for formal evening meals. In casual contexts, 'dinner' is often singular. Avoid using 'dinners' when referring to any mealtime. | Used for a meal in the evening, often more formal than 'dinner'. Not commonly used in all English-speaking regions. |
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Frequently asked questions: Dinners vs Supper
What's the difference between Dinners and Supper?
Dinners: Meals eaten in the evening. Supper: The evening meal.
Which is more common: Dinners and Supper?
Dinners is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Dinners: We have family dinners every Sunday night. Supper: We have supper at six every evening.
Can I use Dinners and Supper interchangeably?
Not always. Dinners and Supper are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.