feverish

adjective

fe·​ver·​ish ˈfē-vər-ish 

ˈfē-vrish

1

a

: tending to cause fever

b

: having the symptoms of a fever

c

: indicating or relating to fever

2

: marked by intense emotion, activity, or instability

feverish excitement

feverishly adverb

feverishness noun

Synonyms of feverish

• heated
• excited
• agitated

Examples of feverish in a Sentence

She was feeling tired and feverish.

He had a feverish appearance.

Recent Examples on the Web

After reluctantly agreeing to be a temporary adviser, Jobs took over as CEO and masterminded an innovation factory that churned out the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad in a decade-long burst of feverish creativity. —ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026

That chant, and the historical memory behind it, also helps explain why Budapest feels so feverish, and why Orbán’s post-reality campaign is so fraught. —Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026

Her chest became hot to the touch, her whole body feverish. —Jeff Ernsthausen, ProPublica, 23 Mar. 2026

This dominance is especially emblematic in Latin America, where K-pop artists maintain a feverish fandom. —Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

feverish

adjective

fe·​ver·​ish ˈfēv-(ə-)rish 

1

a

: having a fever

b

: of, relating to, or being fever

c

: tending to cause fever

2

: showing great emotion or activity : hectic

feverish excitement

feverishly adverb

feverishness noun

Medical Definition

feverish

adjective

fe·​ver·​ish ˈfēv-(ə-)rish 

1

: showing symptoms indicating fever (as increased heat and thirst or delirium) : having a fever

the patient is feverish

specifically : abnormally hot

the child's forehead felt feverish

2

: of or indicating fever

a feverish condition

3

: infected with or tending to cause fever

a damp, feverish, unhealthy spot

—R. L. Stevenson