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

As one of the stars of gay hockey smut — sorry, show — Heated Rivalry, Storrie’s overnight catapult into the spotlight has bestowed upon him a rabid fanbase of horny women. —Rima Parikh, Vulture, 1 Mar. 2026

Here is a president who promised a time of peace and yet whose rabid personal ambitions have stoked one destabilizing global conflict after another, the new one being the riskiest of them all. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026

The Aggies finally find some fuel from this rabid home crowd in an 11-0 run that gives them their first lead of the half. —Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 28 Feb. 2026

And this behavior is in keeping with a rabid, lawless pattern seen nationally. —CBS News, 26 Feb. 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