verb B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

starve

stahv

Starve (verb) means to suffer or die from lack of food. Example: “Crops failed for three straight years, and many people starved.”

verb

To suffer or die from lack of food.

"Crops failed for three straight years, and many people starved."

"The stranded hikers feared they would starve before help arrived."

To be extremely hungry, often used informally as exaggeration.

"I'm starving — is dinner ready yet?"

To deprive someone or something of food, attention, or another vital need.

"The siege was meant to starve the city into surrender."

How to use starve

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo suffer badly (or die) from lack of food, or informally, to be very hungry.

When to use it

"I'm starving" for mild hunger is casual, everyday exaggeration, not literal.

Common pairings

starve to death starving for attention starve someone out

Word forms

starved past tense, starven past tense, starve plural, starved plural, starves singular, starve singular, starved singular, starvest singular, starvedst singular, starveth singular

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Can you complete this real example?

Crops failed for three straight years, and many people _____.

Etymology

From Old English steorfan, "to die," related to German sterben ("to die") — the narrower sense of dying from hunger developed later in English.

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for starve

carve

See all rhymes for starve →

Frequently asked questions

What does “starve” mean?

The word “starve” means to suffer or die from lack of food. In plain terms, to suffer badly (or die) from lack of food, or informally, to be very hungry.

How do you pronounce “starve”?

“Starve” is pronounced stahv (/stɑɹv/ in IPA).

How do you use “starve” in a sentence?

Here is “starve” used in a sentence: “Crops failed for three straight years, and many people starved.”

What part of speech is “starve”?

“Starve” is a verb.

Where does the word “starve” come from?

The word “starve” comes from Old English. From Old English steorfan, "to die," related to German sterben ("to die") — the narrower sense of dying from hunger developed later in English.

Is “starve” a common word?

“Starve” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “starve” have?

“Starve” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to suffer or die from lack of food.