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

a rabid dog

rabidity

rə-ˈbi-də-tē 

ra-, 

rā-

noun

rabidly

ˈra-bəd-lē 

also ˈrā-

adverb

rabidness noun

Synonyms of rabid

• extreme
• radical
• revolutionary

Examples of rabid in a Sentence

a politician with rabid supporters

Her husband is a rabid baseball fan.

Recent Examples on the Web

The plan was overturned last month by two rabid appellate-court comrades in what became that news cycle’s apocalyptic walls-closing-in-on-Trump story. —Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 6 Dec. 2025

No global business depends more on fan avidity than sport, where rabid subcultures of tribal commitment often defy traditional customer segmentation. —Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 4 Dec. 2025

The canopy will help hold in the sound of Inter Miami’s most rabid fans, which should make for a better game atmosphere. —Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 21 Nov. 2025

Despite three tumultuous relocations in the past half-century, most recently a defection to Sin City five years ago, the Raiders still have a rabid fan base — at Allegiant, every game day is Halloween — and the natives and transplants (including 62,080 attendees Sunday) are getting restless. —Michael Silver, New York Times, 3 Nov. 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