Synonyms

crave

American

[kreyv] / kreɪv /

verb (used with object)

craved, craving

to long for; want greatly; desire eagerly.

to crave sweets; to crave affection.
to require; need.

a problem craving prompt attention.
to ask earnestly for (something); beg for.
to ask (a person) earnestly for something or to do something.

verb (used without object)

craved, craving

to beg or plead (usually followed byfor ).

crave British

/ kreɪv /

verb

to desire intensely; long (for)
(tr) to need greatly or urgently
(tr) to beg or plead for

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

craver noun

Etymology

Origin of crave

First recorded before 1000; Middle English craven, Old English crafian; akin to Old Norse krefja “to demand, lay claim to”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"There's been more and more of everything, not less and less -- and the cream rises to the top anyway, because the human element is what we crave."

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

“I don’t crave the spotlight,” the composer said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

Would he crave it quite as much if they were in the Championship?

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

The good news, according to experts, is that the break you crave won’t necessarily derail your work life or your finances — as long as you plan carefully.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

I myself would not curse, in or out of Methuselah’s hearing or even in my dreams, because I crave heaven and to be my father’s favorite.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023