voracious

adjective

vȯ-ˈrā-shəs How to pronounce voracious (audio)
Definition of voraciousnext
1
as in greedy
having a huge appetite it seemed like the voracious kitten was eating her weight in food every day

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in avid
showing urgent desire or interest a voracious reader

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of voracious are gluttonous, rapacious, and ravenous. While all these words mean "excessively greedy," voracious applies especially to habitual gorging with food or drink.

teenagers are often voracious eaters

When could gluttonous be used to replace voracious?

In some situations, the words gluttonous and voracious are roughly equivalent. 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 can rapacious be used instead of voracious?

While the synonyms rapacious and voracious are close in meaning, rapacious often suggests excessive and utterly selfish acquisitiveness or avarice.

rapacious developers indifferent to environmental concerns

When might ravenous be a better fit than voracious?

While in some cases nearly identical to voracious, 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

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 voracious Sunflower stars are such voracious consumers of sea urchins that the Friday Harbor sea star lab struggles to keep up with their appetites. — John Ryan, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026 Since the flesh-eating screwworm fly reinvaded Mexico in 2024, human cases of the voracious parasite have been mounting. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026 If Harper’s voracious hunger for piling on details of Hollywood depravity can seem exploitative, the noir framework suggests another way of looking at it. — Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026 The beyond-blood sisters who call their indie rock project Tommy Lefroy are voracious readers who encourage trading titles at their headline shows. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for voracious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for voracious
  1. greedy
  2. avid
  3. ravenous
  4. enthusiastic
  5. hungry
  6. excited
  7. eager
  8. ardent
Adjective
  • However, greedy jobs are mostly characterized by the unpredictability of when individuals are required to work.
    — Kim Elsesser, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Through its own websites, the mysterious group has been portraying itself as vigilantes out to rein in greedy video game developers.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of greedy
Adjective
  • And the audience for those games skews young, with more than half of all avid soccer viewers aged 18-to-34, a demographic highly sought by advertisers and one that suggests NBC’s numbers could stay strong for years.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Pretti was an avid mountain biker, and the two had been planning to go biking together once the weather turned warm.
    — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of avid
Adjective
  • 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
Definition of ravenous
Adjective
  • Bell, however, couldn’t be more enthusiastic for the opportunity.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The other clock hiding inside it The TC001 has attracted an enthusiastic home-automation following because it can be used with AWTRIX, an open-source firmware and ecosystem designed around small LED matrix displays.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of enthusiastic
Adjective
  • Inter Miami is hungry to get back on track after the recent slump.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The continent's sweltering summer has meanwhile boosted demand for air conditioning and other energy-hungry appliances at a time when demand for gas, widely used for Europe's heating and cooking needs, naturally falls.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of hungry
Adjective
  • On the opposite sideline, Trimble Tech Head Coach MK Hamilton entered the season with a more experienced roster and was excited about the leadership his veteran players bring.
    — Riley Ledesma, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Atlanta native is excited to carry his dreams and the family name forward.
    — PJ Green August 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • Time will tell how immediate Kroenke’s impact will be, though the Angels are eager to find out.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But lawmakers of both parties are eager to avoid another impasse and would prefer to get back to their districts to campaign before the election.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of eager
Adjective
  • Now, the paragraph on the website describes Alvarado as an ardent supporter of bipartisanship who is focused on affordability.
    — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Mazloum announced the yeti repair — as well as the return of fan-favorite characters Dreamfinder and Figment to Epcot in Florida and an overhaul of Tomorrowland in California — to some of Disney's most ardent fans on Saturday.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of ardent

Browse Nearby Words

voodoos
voracious
voraciousness
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Cite this Entry

“Voracious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/voracious. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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