devour

verb

de·​vour di-ˈvau̇(-ə)r 

dē-

devoured; devouring; devours

transitive verb

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

Synonyms of devour

• consume

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

Silicon Valley has been devouring the traditional industry for many years now — forcing companies to alter their business models, spending practices, release patterns and, soon enough in this age of AI, their production methods. —Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 12 Dec. 2025

Looking for a tinsel alternative that’s easier to hang (and less likely to be devoured by your pets)? —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Dec. 2025

Yet what animates the novel isn’t really accurate historical reconstruction but the sense of genre devouring itself. —Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025

The blast could be the result of an elusive intermediate-mass black hole devouring a star. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 9 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French devour-, stem of devorer, from Latin devorare, from de- + vorare to devour — more at voracious

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for devour

• bower
• cower
• dour
• flour
• flower
• fower
• glower
• hour
• our
• power
• scour
• shower

Kids 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