1
a
: the regular meal available to a guest for whom no special preparations have been made
b
: a communal meal to which people bring food to share
—usually used attributively
a potluck supper
2
: whatever is offered or available in given circumstances or at a given time
Examples of potluck in a Sentence
He organized a neighborhood potluck for next Saturday.
Recent Examples on the Web
When people get sick from a cookout, picnic, or potluck, a common dish that’s pointed to is the potato salad.
—
Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
Instead of doing what most homeowners in America currently tend to do and protesting the shelter’s existence, members of the surrounding neighborhood contribute to potluck dinners, provide childcare during adult education sessions, maybe help with school tutoring and job placement.
—Jeff Hobbs, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
Winfield and co-founder Shawn Cox recently hosted a psychedelic potluck at which experts studying and cultivating psychedelic mushrooms discussed genetics, extraction, and specialized equipment.
—Kate Ruder, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2025
Serve it at your next potluck, barbecue, or gameday watch party, and wait for the compliments to roll in.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for potluck
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Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
Instead of doing what most homeowners in America currently tend to do and protesting the shelter’s existence, members of the surrounding neighborhood contribute to potluck dinners, provide childcare during adult education sessions, maybe help with school tutoring and job placement.
—Jeff Hobbs, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
Winfield and co-founder Shawn Cox recently hosted a psychedelic potluck at which experts studying and cultivating psychedelic mushrooms discussed genetics, extraction, and specialized equipment.
—Kate Ruder, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2025
Serve it at your next potluck, barbecue, or gameday watch party, and wait for the compliments to roll in.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for potluck
Cite this Entry
“Potluck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potluck. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
potluck
noun
pot·luck
ˈpät-ˈlək 
1
a
: a regular meal for which no special preparations have been made
b
: a meal to which people bring food to share
2
: whatever is offered or available in given circumstances or at a given time
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