feverish

adjective

fe·​ver·​ish ˈfe-vər-ish 

ˈfē-vrish

1

a

: tending to cause fever

b

: having the symptoms of a fever

c

: indicating or relating to fever

2

: marked by intense emotion, activity, or instability

feverish excitement

feverishly adverb

feverishness noun

Synonyms

• heated
• excited
• agitated

Examples of feverish in a Sentence

She was feeling tired and feverish.

He had a feverish appearance.

Recent Examples on the Web

No one in the bracket carries the same feverish momentum. —Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025

The attempt to escape produces a feverish condition in the animal, and that tends to impart a strong flavor to the meat. —Maurice H. Decker, Outdoor Life, 17 Sep. 2025

Brian De Palma's lurid, almost feverish depiction of the bullying and abuse that Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) suffers at school and at home manages to feel empathetic rather than exploitative. —James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025

But the feverish crowds are also seen in smaller arenas on the grounds, and not always in the best way. —Ben Church, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

feverish

adjective

fe·​ver·​ish ˈfēv-(ə-)rish 

1

a

: having a fever

b

: of, relating to, or being fever

c

: tending to cause fever

2

: showing great emotion or activity : hectic

feverish excitement

feverishly adverb

feverishness noun

Medical Definition

feverish

adjective

fe·​ver·​ish ˈfēv-(ə-)rish 

1

: showing symptoms indicating fever (as increased heat and thirst or delirium) : having a fever

the patient is feverish

specifically : abnormally hot

the child's forehead felt feverish

2

: of or indicating fever

a feverish condition

3

: infected with or tending to cause fever

a damp, feverish, unhealthy spot

—R. L. Stevenson