hunger

1 of 2

noun

hun·​ger ˈhəŋ-gər How to pronounce hunger (audio)
1
a
: a craving or urgent need for food or a specific nutrient
b
: an uneasy sensation occasioned by the lack of food
The small meal wasn't enough to satisfy his hunger.
c
: a weakened condition brought about by prolonged lack of food
died of hunger
2
: a strong desire : craving
a hunger for success

hunger

2 of 2

verb

hungered; hungering ˈhəŋ-g(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce hunger (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: to feel or suffer hunger (see hunger entry 1)
feasting while the poor hunger
2
: to have an eager desire
The nation hungers for a strong leader.
Phrases
from hunger
: very bad or inept
the jokes were from hungerMordecai Richler
Choose the Right Synonym for hunger

long, yearn, hanker, pine, hunger, thirst mean to have a strong desire for something.

long implies a wishing with one's whole heart and often a striving to attain.

longed for some rest

yearn suggests an eager, restless, or painful longing.

yearned for a stage career

hanker suggests the uneasy promptings of unsatisfied appetite or desire.

always hankering for money

pine implies a languishing or a fruitless longing for what is impossible.

pined for a lost love

hunger and thirst imply an insistent or impatient craving or a compelling need.

hungered for a business of his own
thirsted for power

Examples of hunger in a Sentence

Noun She has been a leader in the fight against world hunger. One sandwich wasn't enough to satisfy his hunger. Her students have a genuine hunger for knowledge.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Humanitarian officials blame the hunger crisis in the north on limited entry points for aid, a time-consuming Israeli inspection process and Israeli attacks on U.N. aid convoys and the police protecting them. Miriam Berger, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 Related article Inside Haiti: A lucky few escape, while millions face gang rule, hunger and chaos But the line between defense and mob justice is easily crossed. Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 Violence, hunger, and disease have exploded in the Yanomami’s territory since 2019, spiraling into a crisis that has captured headlines at home and abroad. Ana Ionova, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Mar. 2024 The event raises money and awareness for community members facing hunger, homelessness and trauma. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 The killing at the convoy came as Israel has been facing intense international pressure to allow more aid into Gaza, where aid workers have warned of calamitous hunger, spreading diseases and widespread lawlessness. Anushka Patil, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 The certainty that Ramadan would end, and so would the hunger, made the days easier. Zaina Arafat, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 Palestinians are marking Ramadan amid hunger and war. USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 The lapses since the last albums by either of these parties has not done anything to diminish the mass public appreciation of, and hunger for repeat appearances from, Lennox and Wendy and Lisa. Chris Willman, Variety, 10 Mar. 2024
Verb
Arizona Food Bank Network, Phoenix, $25,000 To deliver 50 million pounds of fresh, nutritious produce, much of which would otherwise be wasted, to hunger relief organizations across Arizona. Alexis Waiss, The Arizona Republic, 17 Mar. 2024 Having helped put Barry behind bars, Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler) can't suppress his outsized ego, which hungers more for glory than justice. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 13 Apr. 2023 But there were many, many people who wanted what WFB had to offer, and even hungered for it. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024 The problem for the diminishing few in the Republican Party who hunger for responsible conservative governance is that these MAGA Media celebrities are leading the GOP down a path of isolation, which could ultimately result in its irrelevance with the rest of society. Oliver Darcy, CNN, 31 Jan. 2024 Tom was of course not a nincompoop, but a serious, thoughtful person who hungered to add substance to sketch comedy. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 29 Dec. 2023 But both DeSantis and Newsom are ambitious politicians who hunger for publicity. Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2023 Ever an innovator, McCraney is looking for ways to revitalize not only his own writing practice but the creative practice of theater artists like him who are hungering for new models, new modes of inspiration and new mechanisms of support. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2023 The supercharged mood on that occasion, inside the state’s two biggest fan bases, each of which had hungered so long not just for recognition and respect for their school, but for opportunity, was dynamic. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 31 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hunger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English hungor; akin to Old High German hungar hunger, Lithuanian kanka torture

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hunger was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hunger

Cite this Entry

“Hunger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunger. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hunger

1 of 2 noun
hun·​ger ˈhəŋ-gər How to pronounce hunger (audio)
1
a
: a desire or a need for food
b
: an uneasy feeling or weakened condition resulting from lack of food
2
: a strong desire : craving
a hunger for praise
hunger adjective

hunger

2 of 2 verb
hungered; hungering -g(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce hunger (audio)
1
: to feel or suffer hunger
2
: to have an eager desire
hungered for affection

Medical Definition

hunger

noun
hun·​ger ˈhəŋ-gər How to pronounce hunger (audio)
1
: a craving, desire, or urgent need for food
2
: an uneasy sensation occasioned normally by the lack of food and resulting directly from stimulation of the sensory nerves of the stomach by the contraction and churning movement of the empty stomach
3
: a weakened disordered condition brought about by prolonged lack of food
die of hunger

More from Merriam-Webster on hunger

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