feeding frenzy

noun

plural feeding frenzies

Definition of feeding frenzy

1 : a frenzy of eating : a wildly aggressive attack of prey by an animal or group of animals sharks in a feeding frenzy Chemoreception seems to be highly developed in this snake and the smell of prey is sufficient to initiate a feeding frenzy.— Douglas Cable et al.

2 : an intensely and often wildly competitive and aggressive human activity likened to frenzied feeding by predatory animals They do not relish the journalistic feeding frenzy that will greet the senator's likely appearance on the witness stand. — U.S. News & World Report Most of the Westerners who attended the heavily hyped sale knew very little about Soviet art—or the Soviet Union for that matter—but were whipped into a feeding frenzy by the historic excitement of the moment.— Harlow Robinson

Examples of feeding frenzy in a Sentence

sharks in a feeding frenzy

Recent Examples on the Web Woods’ saga reached every corner of pop culture society, a feeding frenzy for daytime talk shows, late-night television, tabloid covers and paparazzi mobs. — Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, "‘It started in Vegas’: 15 biggest takeaways from Part 2 of HBO’s documentary, ‘Tiger’," 17 Jan. 2021 Guides released food and marine life surrounded us as a feeding frenzy ensued. — Kathleen Christiansen, orlandosentinel.com, "Orlando’s hidden paradise offers adventures by land and by sea," 20 Dec. 2020 The idea is to tease the roosters into a feeding frenzy and then cast a sardine with a hook in its head into the carnage. — Nate Matthews, Field & Stream, "F&S Classics: Baja By Bike," 7 Dec. 2020 Unlike the confusing feeding frenzy of my Kelly childhood, the Pritchard way really focused everyone’s attention. — John Kelly, Washington Post, "Winner, winner, turkey dinner: Let me share my Thanksgiving breakthrough," 6 Dec. 2020 Zooplankton abounded—about 1,500 of them per liter—all swimming about, gobbling up algae. Without a healthy crop of diatoms to support the zooplankton’s winter feeding frenzy, the lake’s productivity for the rest of the year would suffer. — Tim Folger, National Geographic, "North America’s most valuable resource is at risk," 17 Nov. 2020 Meanwhile, having sparked the media’s feeding frenzy, DiIulio soon started sounding doubtful. — NBC News, "Analysis: How the media created a 'superpredator' myth that harmed a generation of Black youth," 20 Nov. 2020 The return of the salmon unleashes an annual feeding frenzy. — Amy Gulick, The New Republic, "The Majestic Alaskan Rain Forest in Trump’s Crosshairs," 5 Nov. 2020 The Pac-12 North lost a lot of very good offensive linemen, which sets up as a potential feeding frenzy for Thibodeaux. — oregonlive, "Oregon Ducks fall camp breakdown: Defensive line," 6 Oct. 2020

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

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Last Updated

2 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Feeding frenzy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feeding%20frenzy. Accessed 26 Feb. 2021.

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