ravenous

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/ˈrævənəs/
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Extremely hungry, or figuratively driven by an intense and often excessive desire.
Practice using ravenous in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • The tabloids showed a ravenous interest in the scandal.
  • A ravenous demand for housing pushed prices higher.
  • The empire had a ravenous appetite for land.
  • The company faced criticism for its ravenous expansion.
  • By noon I was ravenous enough to eat anything.

Similar words

rapacious
voracious
insatiable
covetous
famished
starving
voracious
greedy
hungry
insatiable

Meanings

Extremely hungry

adjective
food
neutral
So hungry that food feels urgently needed, often with a sense of powerful appetite.

Examples

  • After the long hike, everyone was ravenous.
  • The children came home from swimming ravenous and cold.
  • By noon I was ravenous enough to eat anything.
  • The rescue team found the dog weak and ravenous.
  • A ravenous crowd lined up outside the bakery.
  • Skipping breakfast always leaves him ravenous by midmorning.

Similar words

famished
starving
voracious
hungry
insatiable
edacious

Greedily eager

adjective
figurative
neutral
Driven by an intense and often excessive desire for something such as power, money, attention, or information.

Examples

  • The empire had a ravenous appetite for land.
  • Her ravenous curiosity made every archive feel too small.
  • The company faced criticism for its ravenous expansion.
  • A ravenous demand for housing pushed prices higher.
  • The tabloids showed a ravenous interest in the scandal.
  • His ravenous ambition left little room for friendship.

Similar words

rapacious
greedy
voracious
insatiable
avid
covetous

Etymology

From Middle English ravenous, from Old French ravineux or related forms meaning rapacious, from ravine, violent rush or plunder. It is connected with ravin and ravish, not directly with the bird name raven.

FAQ

What does ravenous mean?

Ravenous means extremely hungry, or figuratively full of intense desire for something.

Is ravenous an adjective?

Yes. Ravenous is an adjective. The adverb is ravenously.

Can ravenous be used without food?

Yes. It can describe a greedy or consuming desire, as in ravenous ambition or a ravenous appetite for power.

Is ravenous stronger than hungry?

Yes. Ravenous means very hungry, often urgently or intensely so.

Does ravenous come from the bird raven?

No. It is historically tied to words for plunder and violent seizing, though the bird name has encouraged folk associations.

Comments & contributions

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Bright Bunting
Jun 20
for books and info I reach for voracious way more than ravenous. Voracious reader is the normal phrase. Ravenous reader sounds like you are making a joke, like the person is chewing through the library. Ravenous for attention, cash, information works, because it still has that grabbing appetite vibe
5
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Quirky Owl
Jul 5
agree. i'm not native and ravenous for novels feels tempting, but voracious is safer there
1
Contribution
Violet Fox
Jun 15
People mix up ravenous with ravishing, and it gets funny fast. If the curry looks amazing, it can look ravishing. You are the ravenous one waiting for it. "The soup is ravenous" sounds like the soup is about to eat somebody lol
13
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Nifty Leopard
Jun 19
lol yes, ravenous dessert makes the dessert the hungry one
2
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