rave

1 of 2

verb

ˈrāv 

raved; raving

intransitive verb

1

a

: to talk irrationally in or as if in delirium

b

: to speak out wildly

c

: to talk with extreme enthusiasm

raved about its beauty

2

: to move or advance violently : storm

… the iced gusts still rave and beat …

—John Keats

transitive verb

: to utter in madness or frenzy

raver

2 of 2

noun

rav·​er ˈrā-vər 

1

: one that raves

2

: a person who frequents raves

Synonyms of rave

Verb

• drool
• gush
• fuss

Examples of rave in a Sentence

Verb

“It's his best performance yet,” raved one movie critic.

The guy on the corner was raving like a madman.

The coach ranted and raved at the referee.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Out of some 2,600 reviewers, dozens are repeat buyers who rave about the shoe’s durability. —Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2026

Friends who work in the art world here rave about the explosion of commercial galleries and world-class museums in Galatea, Beyoğlu and nearby Tophane (areas that can easily be covered on foot), while Art International Istanbul is becoming as well-known as Frieze, Art Basel or the Armoury. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

Noun

Plus Derry Girls’s Saoirse-Monica Jackson pops up as a raver with a flair for sedatives! —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 May 2026

While Luis works to reunite his family, the ravers are chasing what promises to be an epic high. —Álex Maroño Porto, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rave

• rant and rave
• rave review

Rhymes for rave

• brave
• cave
• clave
• crave
• fave
• gave
• grave
• knave
• lave
• nave
• pave
• shave

Kids Definition

rave

1 of 2 verb

ˈrāv 

raved; raving

1

: to talk wildly or irrationally

2

: to talk with great enthusiasm

raved about the new play

raver noun

rave

2 of 2 noun

: a statement of enthusiastic praise