devour

verb

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de·vour | \ di-ˈvau̇(-ə)r

, dē- \

devoured; devouring; devours

Definition of devour

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

Other Words from devour Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about devour

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Synonyms for devour

Synonyms

consume,
eat (up)

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 Cetus was about to devour her when Perseus the Hero happened by on Pegasus, the Flying Horse. — Todd Nelson, Star Tribune, "Coldest Air of Winter On The Way," 1 Feb. 2021 Parasitoid wasps are thought to save the U.S. agricultural industry billions of dollars each year by implanting crop pests with babies that then devour the insects alive. — Washington Post, "Parasites may not be cute and cuddly, but they need saving too, scientists say," 14 Dec. 2020 Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. — Terry Pluto, cleveland, "What should we say to people and families dealing with COVID-19? – Terry’s Pluto’s Faith & You," 5 Dec. 2020 Grizzlies raid squirrel caches of whitebark pine cones and devour the seeds within the cones to fatten up for winter. — Matthew Brown, Star Tribune, "US: mountain pine tree that feeds grizzlies is threatened," 1 Dec. 2020 Some folks devour 24-hour news, searching for answers; some watch documentaries or read histories about pandemics past, seeking clues to the future; others merely want escapism. — Angela Watercutter, Wired, "The New Kim Kardashian Meme Lives on the Darkest Timeline," 30 Oct. 2020 Harry Potter TikTokers produce and devour their own fancam videos, memes, dances and trends. — Lena Wilson, New York Times, "‘Harry Potter’ and the Prisoners of Quarantine," 17 Nov. 2020 The parasite has grown big enough to make its dramatic escape, and to devour the rest of its host alive. — Matt Simon, Wired, "‘Godzilla’ Wasp Swims—So Its Young Can Burst Out of Caterpillars," 9 Nov. 2020 On a daily basis, these vegetarians devour about 170 pounds of produce — ranging from leafy greens and red peppers, to juicy tomatoes and different types of squash. — Suzanne Pfefferle Tafur, NOLA.com, "Think it's expensive to feed your critters? Audubon Zoo spends $70,000 a month, and it needs your help," 2 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'devour.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.