rabid

adjective

ra·​bid ˈra-bəd 

also

ˈrā- 

1

a

: extremely violent : furious

b

: going to extreme lengths in expressing or pursuing a feeling, interest, or opinion

rabid editorials

a rabid supporter

2

: affected with rabies

rabidity

rə-ˈbi-də-tē 

ra-

rā-

noun

rabidly

ˈra-bəd-lē 

 also  ˈrā-

adverb

rabidness noun

Synonyms

• extreme
• radical
• revolutionary
• fanatical

Examples of rabid in a Sentence

a politician with rabid supporters

Her husband is a rabid baseball fan.

Recent Examples on the Web

Rabies is a virus that is transmitted to humans by a bite or scratch from a rabid animal, according to the CDC. —Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025

These are hit series with rabid fanbases across a broad range of genres — from a propulsive thriller like ‘Paradise’ to a shiny floor competition show like ‘Dancing with the Star’s to a juicy drama like ‘Tell Me Lies’ — there’s a companion podcast for every viewer and every TV obsession. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025

Unlike a year ago, CSU (0-1) walked away from a road opener at a Power 4 school with heads held reasonably high, having scared a rabid Huskies crowd half to death for three quarters. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025

Our team is made up of rabid Shadowrun fans, and the French versions of Shadowrun books come with extra content like bonus chapters, adventures and errata. —Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin rabidus mad, from rabere

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

rabid

adjective

ra·​bid ˈrab-əd 

 also  ˈrā-bəd

1

: extremely violent : furious

2

: going to extreme lengths (as in interest or opinion)

rabid supporters

3

: affected with rabies

a rabid dog

rabidly adverb

Medical Definition

rabid

adjective

ra·​bid

ˈrab-əd also ˈrā-bəd

: affected with rabies

a rabid dog