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

These days, the shows are bigger and the tickets sell out in instants, filling theaters around the country with concertgoers whose response to Geese’s music can best be described as rabid ecstasy. — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2026

In North Carolina, Franklin County Animal Control sets a trap in an area where a rabid skunk was found last summer. — Aria Bendix, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026

Yosemite records few rabid bats, with the last case in 2025, but other national parks have issued rabies alerts within days or weeks, raising fresh questions about Yosemite’s public-health communication. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

This is the first rabid bat reported in the county since 2024, when two bats tested positive for rabies. — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 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