ravenous

adjective

ˈra-və-nəs How to pronounce ravenous (audio)
Definition of ravenousnext
as in greedy
having a huge appetite we were ravenous after our canoe paddling, and the chili bubbling over the campfire smelled heavenly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word ravenous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of ravenous are gluttonous, rapacious, and voracious. While all these words mean "excessively greedy," ravenous implies excessive hunger and suggests violent or grasping methods of dealing with food or with whatever satisfies an appetite.

a nation with a ravenous lust for territorial expansion

In what contexts can gluttonous take the place of ravenous?

The meanings of gluttonous and ravenous largely overlap; however, gluttonous applies to one who delights in eating or acquiring things especially beyond the point of necessity or satiety.

an admiral who was gluttonous for glory

When might rapacious be a better fit than ravenous?

The words rapacious and ravenous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rapacious often suggests excessive and utterly selfish acquisitiveness or avarice.

rapacious developers indifferent to environmental concerns

When can voracious be used instead of ravenous?

The words voracious and ravenous can be used in similar contexts, but voracious applies especially to habitual gorging with food or drink.

teenagers are often voracious eaters

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ravenous The scenes were ravenous, and the pressure to play well, regardless of any physical or mental condition, is immense. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 23 Aug. 2026 This franchise has proven the ability to spin anything — to keep ravenous fans on the line under any circumstance. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 July 2026 As competitors down dogs for ten straight minutes with a ravenous efficiency that feels worlds apart from snacking on a frank at the ballpark, eating escalates into an élite physical spectacle nearing performance art. — Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 3 July 2026 San Francisco real estate agent Butch Haze of Compass has seen tech booms followed by ravenous bursts of homebuying since the first internet gold rush of the late 1990s. — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ravenous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ravenous
  1. greedy
  2. hungry
  3. voracious
Adjective
  • John Wayne and Gary Cooper, like Ken-san, often played anachronistic loners from a disappearing Arcadia that was being destroyed by hard-nosed modernizers—greedy bankers, railway owners, big-city politicians.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Katz said the rapid and steep rate movements give investors a chance to buy from the fearful and sell to the greedy.
    — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of greedy
Adjective
  • Big tech firms in the US are pouring billions into advanced nuclear power to feed energy-hungry artificial intelligence.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The Dodgers needed a healthy Ohtani to deal with a young, hungry ballclub like the Brewers.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of hungry
Adjective
  • Some of the world’s most successful business leaders are voracious readers.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Because, after all, this is the same guy who was voracious about returning from the knee injury.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of voracious

Browse Nearby Words

ravening
ravenous
ravenousness
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Cite this Entry

“Ravenous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ravenous. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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