Synonyms of rabid
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
rabidness noun

Examples of rabid in a Sentence

a politician with rabid supporters Her husband is a rabid baseball fan.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Organizers believe the rabid fan bases PUP, Hot Mulligan, Angel Du$t and Basement enjoy contributed to the surge in attendance. Michelle Bruton, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 Servite’s Rick Garretson, Orange Lutheran’s Ray Fenton and JSerra’s Hardy Nickerson have high expectations from their rabid fan base. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Eat it with tortilla chips at your desk, rabid raccoon style; or heat up some TJ’s flour tortillas, slice a few scallions, dollop sour cream, really make a day of it. Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026 In contrast, there were 16,172 rabid raccoons during that period. Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rabid

Word History

Etymology

Latin rabidus mad, from rabere

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of rabid was in 1594

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rabid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rabid. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

rabid

adjective
ra·​bid ˈrab-əd How to pronounce rabid (audio)
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
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