thirsty

adjective

ˈthər-stē 

thirstier; thirstiest

1

a

: feeling thirst

hungry and thirsty

b

: deficient in moisture : parched

thirsty land/soil

c

: highly absorbent

thirsty towels

d

: causing thirst

thirsty work

2

a

: having a strong desire for something : avid

thirsty for knowledge

b

informal : feeling or showing a strong desire for attention, approval, or publicity (as on social media)

… the brands did what was inevitable: They began to tweet about the question, hoping to grab some of that attention for their own. For a thirsty brand, the only thing better than April Fools' Day is a hugely viral meme.

—Abby Ohlheiser

thirstiness

ˈthər-stē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• arid
• droughty
• dry
• sere
• sear
• waterless

Examples of thirsty in a Sentence

The salty food was making her thirsty.

struggling to survive in that hot and thirsty climate

Recent Examples on the Web

Group these thirsty plants together so they can be watered well without overwatering the rest of the garden. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024

Scott’s answer is characteristically compelling, but in a way likely to disappoint his thirstier fans. —Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024

Smash cut to dozens of thirsty Wisconsinites heading straight to the bar, drink tickets burning a hole in our pockets. —Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2024

The troupe, which included boys and girls, was there to distribute water bottles to thirsty church folk during the march. —Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2024

With chronic water shortages afflicting the Colorado River, discussions about how to cut usage have increasingly focused on a thirsty crop that consumes an especially large share of the river’s water: hay that is grown to feed cattle and produce beef and dairy products. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024

The entire vehicle is new, and under the hood a 450-horsepower twin-turbo V6 replaces the old model’s thirsty V8. —Alex Kwanten, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

Local governments, too, have passed ordinances to limit thirsty nonnative turf. —Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2024

Whereas most pop songs utilize at least a modicum of gloss to conceal the thirstiest elements of the human condition, this thing sounded like it was shot full of caffeine and truth serum. —Chris Richards, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English thirsti, thursty, þristi, going back to Old English þurstig, þyrstig, from þurst thirst entry 1 + -ig -y entry 1 (with parallel formations in Middle Dutch dorstich, Old High German durstac, tursteg)

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

thirsty

adjective

ˈthər-stē 

thirstier; thirstiest

1

a

: feeling thirst

b

: needing moisture

thirsty land

2

: having a strong desire

thirsty for knowledge

thirstily

-stə-lē

adverb

Medical Definition

thirsty

adjective

ˈthər-stē 

thirstier; thirstiest

: feeling thirst