ravenous

[ rav-uh-nuhs ]

adjective

1. extremely hungry; famished; voracious:

   feeling ravenous after a hard day's work.

   Synonyms: greedy

2. extremely rapacious:

   a ravenous jungle beast.

   Synonyms: predatory

3. intensely eager for gratification or satisfaction.

ravenous

/ ˈrævənəs /

adjective

1. famished; starving
2. rapacious; voracious

Derived Forms

• ˈravenously, adverb
• ˈravenousness, noun

Other Words From

• raven·ous·ly adverb
• raven·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ravenous¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French ravineus, equivalent to ravin(er) “to plunder” ( See raven ² ) + -eus -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of ravenous¹

C16: from Old French ravineux , from Latin rapīna plunder, from rapere to seize

Synonym Study

Ravenous, ravening, voracious suggest a greediness for food and usually intense hunger. Ravenous implies extreme hunger, or a famished condition: ravenous wild beasts. Ravening adds the idea of fierceness and savagery, especially as shown in a violent manner of acquiring food: ravening wolves. Voracious implies craving or eating a great deal of food: a voracious child; a voracious appetite. It may also be used figuratively: a voracious reader.

Example Sentences

There are "heavily armed gladiators riding a charging rhinoceros" and "wounded men tumbling from boats into the jaws of ravenous sharks" during the nautical battle staged in the flooded pit of the Colosseum.

From BBC

Even the most ravenous are beginning to tire of the attention now.

From BBC

Namely, a ravenous need for a new pair of sunglasses.

From Los Angeles Times

The ravenous came for a taste of home in a dish of spicy fried beef or steamed fish head.

From New York Times

Traditional cooling systems, such as air conditioners, have a ravenous appetite for energy, accounting for approximately 20% of electricity used in buildings worldwide.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• ferocious
• greedy
• insatiable
• rapacious
• voracious

More About Ravenous

What does ravenous mean?

Ravenous means extremely hungry, as in After being unable to eat solid foods for a week, Isaac was now ravenous.

Ravenous in this sense is often used figuratively. You might be hungry but not literally starving and still describe yourself as ravenous.

Ravenous also means extremely greedy or predatory. It’s especially used to describe predatory animals, but it’s also used to describe people. Ravenous people may be greedy for riches, fame, or something else that they think will give them satisfaction if they have a lot of it. (Whether they can ever be satisfied is another discussion.)

Example: After a long day hiking up the mountain, the hikers were ravenous, inhaling their dinner in a matter of minutes.

Where does ravenous come from?

The first records of the term ravenous come from around the late 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Old French ravin(er), meaning “to plunder.” Being literally ravenous might cause a person to steal in order to eat.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to ravenous?

• ravenously (adverb)
• ravenousness (noun)

What are some synonyms for ravenous?

• insatiable
• rapacious
• ferocious
• greedy

What are some words that share a root or word element with ravenous?

• raven
• ravening
• ravin

What are some words that often get used in discussing ravenous?

• food
• famished
• craving
• greedy

How is ravenous used in real life?

Ravenous is a fairly common word used literally to mean “extremely hungry.” In its figurative sense, it’s used to mean “greedy.”

OMG, it was an invasion of Ruby-crowned Kinglets in Central Park this afternoon! And they looked absolutely ravenous. These were spotted at the Wildflower Meadow and on a handrail above the Harlem Meer. #birdcp pic.twitter.com/wkyg8EzItp

— Above_96th (@Above96th) October 28, 2020

On the Californian turned princess & what she and her husband have announced:
36 — age of Diana upon her death
35 — Harry's age
37 — William's, Kate's age
38 — Meghan's age

That jolt of awareness— "I am the ~same age she was when…" and 3+ decades experience w ravenous press

— @[e-mail] (@susankitchens) January 9, 2020

she laughed a laugh that sounded so pure and so sweet it would sooth any ravenous beast

— ͏͏͏͏͏ (@kaitlynamethyst) October 21, 2022

 

 

Try using ravenous!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of ravenous?

A. satisfied
B. insatiable
C. rapacious
D. voracious