devour
verb
de·vour
di-ˈvau̇(-ə)r 
dē-
devoured; devouring; devours
1
: to eat up greedily or ravenously
devoured the turkey and mashed potatoes
2
: to use up or destroy as if by eating
We are devouring the world's resources.
3
: to prey upon
devoured by guilt
4
: to enjoy avidly
devours books
devourer
noun
Examples of devour in a Sentence
He devoured everything on his plate.
The lions devoured their prey.
She devoured every golf magazine she could find.
He watched intently, devouring the scene before him with his eyes.
Recent Examples on the Web
The media devoured his story like a plate of fresh oysters.
—
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
The player’s main monster, Nyanner, can devour other creatures and add the Monsterlings.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
How Newport Beach came out on top The appreciation of existing properties and the migration of fleeing Angelenos — whether running from COVID-era masking policies and school shutdowns or the flames that devoured Pacific Palisades — helped Newport Beach gain several spots on the list.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
In every scene, Terry Malloy is being devoured by regret, torn apart about doing the right thing, and simmering with an existential anxiety that could blow at any second.
—Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devour
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Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
The player’s main monster, Nyanner, can devour other creatures and add the Monsterlings.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
How Newport Beach came out on top The appreciation of existing properties and the migration of fleeing Angelenos — whether running from COVID-era masking policies and school shutdowns or the flames that devoured Pacific Palisades — helped Newport Beach gain several spots on the list.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
In every scene, Terry Malloy is being devoured by regret, torn apart about doing the right thing, and simmering with an existential anxiety that could blow at any second.
—Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devour
Cite this Entry
“Devour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devour. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
devour
verb
de·vour
di-ˈvau̇(ə)r
1
: to eat up greedily or hungrily
devoured everything on his plate
2
: to use up or destroy as if by eating
fire devoured the barn
3
: to enjoy eagerly
devour a book
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