1
as in hungry
feeling a desire or need for food
after a full day of skiing, I was feeling absolutely famished
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2
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
a group of local citizens working to ease the plight of the famished families in their community
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Recent Examples of famished
Newcomer to the scene, The Madrid Edition, opened three years ago but is already established as a multi-pronged watering hole for the chic and famished.
—
Alissa Fitzgerald, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
The restaurant at Tranquility Base was closed, however, so the by-then famished band found a late-night diner down the road.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2024
None of this perturbed Schwarzenegger, who was a famously quick study, almost lupine in his famished eagerness to learn, trading weight-lifting tips with his distinguished co-star James Earl Jones in return for actorly advice.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
The famished road warriors drove down the cold mountain highway and across the bridge into the town.
—J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, 8 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for famished
Alissa Fitzgerald, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
The restaurant at Tranquility Base was closed, however, so the by-then famished band found a late-night diner down the road.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2024
None of this perturbed Schwarzenegger, who was a famously quick study, almost lupine in his famished eagerness to learn, trading weight-lifting tips with his distinguished co-star James Earl Jones in return for actorly advice.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
The famished road warriors drove down the cold mountain highway and across the bridge into the town.
—J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, 8 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for famished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for famished
Adjective
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With a hungry ghost and a series of crippling self-esteem issues in tow, Saccharine leaves a lot for audiences to stomach.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
23 Jan. 2026
-
As sea ice thaws, the prospect of resource extraction will be appealing in an energy-hungry world where climate pragmatism is the new guideline.—
Chloe Demrovsky,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The minerals Kajumba and hundreds of thousands of impoverished Congolese were digging up allowed the rest of the world to enjoy the benefits of electricity, but the benefits to the people of Congo were woefully limited.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
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Brooks speaks colorfully and candidly, starting with his impoverished Brooklyn childhood, raised with three brothers by his mother after his father died of tuberculosis.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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According to Jabra’s research, 99% of knowledge workers say poor audio quality impacts their online meetings and call quality.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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While the pandemic hit everyone all at once, the recovery from that jolt has taken place on two diverging tracks, with the well-off getting wealthier and the poor getting poorer.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Harvey continued to start Dickey for the playoffs — if the wheel ain’t broke, don’t fix it — and Seattle won two 1-0 games to make the NWSL Final against Gotham FC.—
Steve Goldberg,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Jan. 2026
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Azamat and Tansholpan are completely broke.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Famished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/famished. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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