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

rabidity

rə-ˈbi-də-tē 

ra-

rā-

noun

rabidly

ˈra-bəd-lē 

 also  ˈrā-

adverb

rabidness noun

Synonyms

• extreme
• extremist
• fanatic
• fanatical
• radical
• revolutionary
• revolutionist
• ultra

Examples of rabid in a Sentence

a politician with rabid supporters

Her husband is a rabid baseball fan.

Recent Examples on the Web

But then a summer came and went, with rabid fans left waiting (due to the writers' and actors' guild strikes) to see which Fisher brother, if any, Belly chooses in the end of the onscreen adaptation. —EW.com, 20 May 2025

Lawrence often has this frisky, rabid grin that’s irresistible to watch but also scary. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 May 2025

Read Next California Visitors possibly exposed to rabid bat at world-famous CA zoo, officials warn May 11, 2025 9:04 AM Read Next National Beaver named Cauliflower escapes NY zoo and is killed by car. —Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 12 May 2025

County public health officials asked anyone who may have come into contact with a rabid bat at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park earlier this week to contact them. —City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 May 2025

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