rabid

adjective

ra·​bid ˈra-bəd 

also

ˈrā- 

1

a

: extremely violent : furious

b

: going to extreme lengths in expressing or pursuing a feeling, interest, or opinion

rabid editorials

a rabid supporter

2

: affected with rabies

a rabid dog

rabidity

rə-ˈbi-də-tē 

ra-, 

rā-

noun

rabidly

ˈra-bəd-lē 

also ˈrā-

adverb

rabidness noun

Synonyms of rabid

• extreme
• radical
• revolutionary

Examples of rabid in a Sentence

a politician with rabid supporters

Her husband is a rabid baseball fan.

Recent Examples on the Web

The outsized performance of movies such as Obsession and Backrooms sparked a rabid interest from studios in a generation of filmmakers who did not come up the traditional latter, but instead rose up making short-form content on digital platforms. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026

So far this year, there have been a record-breaking 70 rabid bats confirmed in Los Angeles County. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

According to the news release, rabies is most commonly transmitted through the bite or scratch of an infected animal, or when saliva from a rabid animal comes in contact with an open wound or a mammal's eyes, nose or mouth. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026

However, two people were exposed to a rabid bat in Ballantyne in September. — Eva Flowe october 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin rabidus mad, from rabere

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

rabid

adjective

ra·​bid ˈrab-əd 

also ˈrā-bəd

1

: extremely violent : furious

2

: going to extreme lengths (as in interest or opinion)

rabid supporters

3

: affected with rabies

a rabid dog

rabidly adverb

Medical Definition

rabid

adjective

ra·​bid

ˈrab-əd also ˈrā-bəd

: affected with rabies

a rabid dog