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
Artificial intelligence is pushing the frontiers of science and technology—piloting military drones, diagnosing diseases, and designing enzymes that devour plastic waste.
—
Harry Booth, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
For weeks, Oasis zealots have devoured online videos of the siblings strolling out onstage together, arms raised in victory and hugs brief yet genuine.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
My toddler devoured a small mountain of them.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 23 Aug. 2025
The general assumption was instead that the swamp had been devoured to its skeletal minimum and that the rats had migrated farther north, where there was better eating to be had.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devour
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Harry Booth, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
For weeks, Oasis zealots have devoured online videos of the siblings strolling out onstage together, arms raised in victory and hugs brief yet genuine.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
My toddler devoured a small mountain of them.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 23 Aug. 2025
The general assumption was instead that the swamp had been devoured to its skeletal minimum and that the rats had migrated farther north, where there was better eating to be had.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devour
Cite this Entry
“Devour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devour. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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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