Definition of RAVENOUSNESSES

Choose the Right Synonym for ravenous

voracious, gluttonous, ravenous, rapacious mean excessively greedy. voracious applies especially to habitual gorging with food or drink. teenagers are often voracious eaters gluttonous applies to one who delights in eating or acquiring things especially beyond the point of necessity or satiety. an admiral who was gluttonous for glory ravenous implies excessive hunger and suggests violent or grasping methods of dealing with food or with whatever satisfies an appetite. a nation with a ravenous lust for territorial expansion rapacious often suggests excessive and utterly selfish acquisitiveness or avarice. rapacious developers indifferent to environmental concerns

ravishing or ravenous?

Ravenous and ravishing are not synonyms, and mixing these two words may lead to potentially awkward writing or conversation. Ravenous is commonly used with the meaning “very eager or greedy for food, satisfaction, or gratification,” and ravishing means “unusually attractive, pleasing, or striking.” If you find yourself hungry and standing in front of a spectacular-looking meal you would say (of the food) “that looks ravishing,” and (of yourself) “I am ravenous.” You may, of course, describe yourself as ravishing, but should be aware that you are commenting on your appearance rather than your hunger.

Examples of ravenous in a Sentence

By the time dinner was ready, we were ravenous. we were ravenous after our canoe paddling, and the chili bubbling over the campfire smelled heavenly

Recent Examples on the Web That sultry summer night when old friends sailed into Plymouth Harbor, sunburned and ravenous, and trusted me to guide them to a table befitting their journey. — BostonGlobe.com, "3 places we supported this week," 6 Apr. 2021 Among its most-striking features, VelociCoaster will attempt to outgun ravenous, lithe velociraptors with a magnetic launch that will hit 70 mph in 2.4 seconds and send passengers soaring up and over a 155-foot top hat tower. — Arthur Levine, USA TODAY, "'Ultimate thrill coaster': Universal Orlando will release the dinosaurs in its Jurassic World VelociCoaster," 6 Apr. 2021 After a year filled with raging wildfires, ravenous gophers and a global pandemic, Shelby Perkins and Peter Harter decided a little levity was called for. — Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, "Stanley Tucci’s Italian travel show inspires a ‘Big Night’ of food and wine," 27 Mar. 2021 Muhl plays alongside her like a gas in a vacuum, filling empty spaces with her energy, passing, ravenous defense and increasingly confident 3-point shooting. — New York Times, "The Road to the Final Four Runs Through Zagreb," 22 Mar. 2021 Demand has been so ravenous that the underwriting team has expressed concerns that the shares will pop as dramatically on the first day of trading as stock in Airbnb Inc. and DoorDash Inc. — Maureen Farrell, WSJ, "Roblox Soars in Debut as IPO Market Surge Resumes," 10 Mar. 2021 Music fans ravenous for glitzy production numbers should be sated with a starry and diverse lineup that includes show opener Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Megan Thee Stallion and BTS, the inaugural K-Pop band to perform at the ceremony. — Melissa Ruggieri, ajc, "The 2021 Grammy Awards: performers, nominees, location adapt to COVID conditions," 11 Mar. 2021 The 8-year-old had mild autism and a ravenous appetite for new information, his mom said. — Washington Post, "Three generations of Texans were trying to stay warm in the blackout. Then a deadly fire erupted.," 25 Oct. 2020 Farmers stand by as armies of ravenous insects eat their crops. — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, "25 Amazing Photo Finalists Of Sony World Photography Professional Competition 2021," 4 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ravenous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.