To chomp means to bite down on something with a firm, noisy chewing motion. When you take a big bite of a crispy apple and chew it enthusiastically, you're chomping. When a horse eats a carrot, pulling it into its mouth and crunching through it, that's chomping too.

The word captures both the action and the sound: chomp, chomp, chomp. It suggests eating with energy and without much delicacy. You might chomp through a sandwich when you're really hungry, or chomp on popcorn while watching a movie. A cartoon character might chomp down on a turkey leg, taking huge, exaggerated bites.

The word can imply eating something crunchy or chewy that makes noise, though you can chomp soft foods too if you're eating vigorously. When someone tells you not to chomp your food at the dinner table, they're asking you to chew more quietly and politely.

You might also hear the phrase chomping at the bit, which means being restless and eager to get started. It comes from horses literally biting their metal bits when they're impatient to run. When you're chomping at the bit to begin your summer vacation, you can hardly wait for the school year to end.