ra·ven
| \ ˈrā-vən
\
\
Definition of raven
(Entry 1 of 3)
: a large, glossy-black bird (Corvus corax) that is widely distributed in northern parts of the northern hemisphere but now rare in most areas of the eastern and central U.S. and that differs from the closely related common crow chiefly in its larger size and wedge-shaped tail and in having the feathers of the throat narrow and pointed resulting in a shaggy appearance
also
: any of various usually large and glossy black, corvine birds
raven
adjectiveDefinition of raven (Entry 2 of 3)
: shiny and black like a raven's feathers
raven hair
raven
verb
rav·en
| \ ˈra-vən
\
\
ravened; ravening\
ˈra-və-niŋ
, ˈrav-niŋ
\
, ˈrav-niŋ
\
Definition of raven (Entry 3 of 3)
1
: to devour greedily
2
: despoil
men … raven the earth, destroying its resources — New Yorker
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Other Words from raven
Verb
ravener
\
ˈra-və-nər
, ˈrav-nər
\
noun
, ˈrav-nər
\
noun
Synonyms & Antonyms for raven
Synonyms: Adjective
Synonyms: Verb
- bolt,
- cram,
- devour,
- glut
- [archaic],
- gobble,
- gorge,
- gormandize,
- gulp,
- ingurgitate,
- inhale,
- scarf,
- scoff,
- slop,
- wolf
Antonyms: Adjective
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Examples of raven in a Sentence
Adjective
a black satin dress that matches her silky, raven hair
Verb
the rat ravened the poisoned bait just as we had hoped
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
More than a year ago, Olani Saunoa was buckling her toddler into a car seat when a raven swooped in and grabbed a package of short ribs from her car.
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Andrews Mcmeel Syndication, Star Tribune, "News of the weird: Trip to the grocery store created a big buzz," 9 Apr. 2021
The Google Doodle features Peratrovich speaking into a microphone at a podium with a raven behind her, representing her Lukaax̱.ádi clan — a Raven moiety.
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Samantha Davenport, Anchorage Daily News, "Tlingit artist designs new Google Doodle featuring Alaska Native civil rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich," 31 Dec. 2020
Other unlikely companions follow, including a garrulous raven, two contentious mallards, a lonely rat and a handful of kind humans.
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Emily Bobrow, WSJ, "Novelist Jane Smiley Has a Soft Spot for Happy Endings," 4 Dec. 2020
The raven is an omen of good luck to the Koyukon Indians.
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Philip Caputo, Field & Stream, "F&S Classics: The Old Man and the Mountains," 22 Nov. 2020
The raven is an important mythological figure in Alaska Native and American Indian cultures, symbolizing, among other things, creation and transformation.
—
Paula Dobbyn, Anchorage Daily News, "An Anchorage shelter under lockdown draws on the healing power of art and community," 17 Apr. 2020
The eggs had been scavenged — by ravens, by jays, by squirrels — and Jackie finally carried off one of them, who knows where.
—
Jonah Weiner, New York Times, "How Watching Bald Eagles Build a Nest Prepared Me for the Pandemic," 12 May 2020
Corvids are a family of birds that includes crows, ravens, and magpies—and many are abundant this time of year.
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Katherine Ellen Foley, Quartz, "The Corvid-19 quiz: Test your knowledge of the birds, not Covid-19," 6 Apr. 2020
Like other corvids—a family that includes jays, ravens, crows, and magpies—this species is very vocal, and will use different alarm calls to alert the rest of the group to the presence of a predator above versus one from below, such as a snake.
—
National Geographic, "Florida scrub jay," 3 Mar. 2020
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Darwin was both repulsed and intrigued by this prankster, which resembles a cross between a hawk and a raven, with an orange face, glossy black plumage, and the ability to run with the speed and agility of a pheasant.
—
Paul Kvinta, Outside Online, "The Mystery of the Falkland Islands' Striated Caracara," 2 Apr. 2021
Thanks to her staple look of raven hair with neon green roots, 19-year-old Eilish can be spotted from nearly a mile away.
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Rosemary Donahue, Allure, "Billie Eilish's Wears Long, Neutral Manicure to Accept Her First 2021 Grammy," 14 Mar. 2021
Another round of vinyl setting tape, followed by wig tape, makes way for a long, sky-reaching raven mane, secured and camouflaged with wig glue brushed atop the lace front and obscured by powder concealer.
—
Calin Van Paris, Vogue, "Naomi Smalls’s 70-Step Guide to Full-On Glamazon," 23 Feb. 2021
Back in 2017, Gadot and Jenkins broke records launching the Wonder Woman franchise to the tune of $822 million globally: Wherever the earnest, raven-haired superhero swung on her golden lasso, audiences (and Halloween costumes) followed.
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Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY, "'It's OK to say this is my value': 'Wonder Woman' Gal Gadot opens up about her Hollywood ascension," 24 Dec. 2020
That task was an easy one for the raven, and the bird’s just reward was forthcoming.
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Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, "Young Ravens Rival Adult Chimps in a Big Test of General Intelligence," 10 Dec. 2020
The raven re-enacts the physical and metaphorical journey every northerner makes from fall into spring.
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Ned Rozell, Anchorage Daily News, "Remembering Sherry Simpson and her gift of keen observation," 21 Nov. 2020
Years of outdoor adventures made Veya attuned to the nature in our backyard, from tending the garden and noticing its daily growth to taking nightly perimeter walks, finding raven feathers and animal habitats.
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Jill K. Robinson, SFChronicle.com, "An 11-year-old’s home away from home in the pandemic is a tent in the backyard," 29 Nov. 2020
Executed by stylist Amber Maynard Bolt, Lovato's cut and color offered a punkish, irreverent air—a stark departure from her menu of glossy waves and shoulder-skimming raven lob.
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Calin Van Paris, Vogue, "Demi Lovato Goes Blonde—and Punk!—With a Bold New Hair Look," 19 Nov. 2020
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Fatally, Cichè sees this as a personal quarrel and decides to get his revenge, threading twine through some beans to capture the raven, then torturing it.
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Tim Parks, The New York Review of Books, "Characters in Search of a Conflict," 23 Feb. 2021
The authors repeated the same 33 tasks for each raven at four, eight, 12 and 16 months of age.
—
Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, "Young Ravens Rival Adult Chimps in a Big Test of General Intelligence," 10 Dec. 2020
Not a single coal miner was in sight, just a big, black Chihuahuan raven sitting atop a light post.
—
Eric Lipton, New York Times, "“We are back. The coal industry is back,”," 6 Oct. 2020
Willyerd also included a more subtle image of a raven in the mural, a nod to a place most Janesville artist know and love, Raven's Wish Art Gallery, located across the river a few blocks away.
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Frank Schultz, Star Tribune, "Mural project meant to give downtown Janesville a fresh look," 14 Sep. 2020
Raven Politics Young ravens that do not have a bonding partner or territory form temporary flocks that congregate at major food resources, such as an animal carcass.
—
Onur Güntürkün, Scientific American, "“Birdbrain” Turns from Insult to Praise," 1 Jan. 2020
In the battle over football and brain health, Dr. Camarillo portrays himself as occupying the sensible center, an agnostic caught between ravening ideologues.
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Michael Powell, New York Times, "This Helmet Will Save Football. Actually, Probably Not.," 14 Dec. 2019
When large predators defend their food caches, ravens call in other flock members to engage in diversionary tactics for gaining access to the food.
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Onur Güntürkün, Scientific American, "“Birdbrain” Turns from Insult to Praise," 1 Jan. 2020
Watching from bare branches, ravens warbled and croaked.
—
Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, "After the Last Cop Killed Himself, All the Criminals Have to Do Is Hide," 24 Oct. 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'raven.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
The Story of 'Ravenous' and 'Ravishing'
The Story of 'Ravenous' and 'Ravishing'
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Last Updated
20 Apr 2021
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Cite this Entry
“Raven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raven. Accessed 7 May. 2021.
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More Definitions for raven
raven
noun
English Language Learners Definition of raven
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a bird that has shiny black feathers and looks like a crow but is larger
raven
adjectiveEnglish Language Learners Definition of raven (Entry 2 of 2)
literary
: shiny and black
See the full definition for raven in the English Language Learners Dictionary
raven
noun
ra·ven
| \ ˈrā-vən
\
\
Kids Definition of raven
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a large shiny black bird that is larger than the related crow
raven
adjectiveKids Definition of raven (Entry 2 of 2)
: shiny and black like a raven's feathers
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Time Traveler for raven
The first known use of raven was before the 12th century
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