adjective
ravenous
RA-vuh-nuhs
Ravenous (adjective) means Extremely hungry. Example: “After the hike, they were absolutely ravenous.”
adjective
1
Extremely hungry.
"The most rapid and most seductive transition in all human nature is that which attends the palliation of a ravenous appetite. There is something humiliating about it."
— Ben Travers (1921)
"Ravenous, I order one more wine and a selection of cheese and biscuits."
— Greg Morse, Crossing the border... by Sleeper (2023)
"After the hike, they were absolutely ravenous."
"The ravenous puppy devoured its food in seconds."
"You must remember no one had eaten a thing for several days. They were ravenous. So for a while there was no conversation at all. There was only the sound of crunching and chewing as the animals attacked the succulent food."
— Roald Dahl, Fantastic Mr. Fox (1970)
How to use ravenous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishStarving, or having a fierce appetite.
Common mistake
Despite the resemblance, ravenous is not historically connected to the bird raven — that link is just a popular folk association.
Common pairings
ravenous appetite
ravenously hungry
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more ravenous
- Superlative
- most ravenous
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
After the hike, they were absolutely _____.
Etymology
From Old French ravineus, related to a root meaning "predatory" or "plundering" — not actually related to the bird "raven," though people often assume it is.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for ravenous
See all rhymes for ravenous →Frequently asked questions
What does “ravenous” mean?
The word “ravenous” means extremely hungry. In plain terms, starving, or having a fierce appetite.
How do you pronounce “ravenous”?
“Ravenous” is pronounced RA-vuh-nuhs (/ˈɹævənəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “ravenous” in a sentence?
Here is “ravenous” used in a sentence: “After the hike, they were absolutely ravenous.”
What is another word for “ravenous”?
Words with a similar meaning to “ravenous” include starving.
What part of speech is “ravenous”?
“Ravenous” is an adjective.
Where does the word “ravenous” come from?
The word “ravenous” comes from Old French. From Old French ravineus, related to a root meaning "predatory" or "plundering" — not actually related to the bird "raven," though people often assume it is.
