fodder

Food such as hay or other plants given to farm animals.

• The cattle need more fodder.
• We stored enough fodder for the winter.
• The farmer grows several fodder crops.

How to use it: fodder for animals (The farmer grew fodder for his cattle.)

Similar words: animal feed, feed

Common phrases: animal fodder, winter fodder, fodder crops

Material considered cheap, poor, or useful only for some low purpose.

• The film is cheap fodder for late-night television.
• His private life became tabloid fodder.
• The channel filled its schedule with disposable entertainment fodder.

How to use it: fodder for something (The private messages became cheap fodder for gossip magazines.)

Similar words: filler, low-grade material

Common phrases: tabloid fodder, cheap fodder, fodder for something

People treated as unimportant and easy to use, harm, or replace.

• The soldiers were treated as cannon fodder.
• Poor workers became fodder for the growing factories.
• He refused to send more young people as fodder for the war.

How to use it: fodder for something (Young recruits became fodder for a pointless war.)

Similar words: cannon fodder

Common phrases: cannon fodder, human fodder, fodder for something