salivate

verb

sal·​i·​vate ˈsa-lə-ˌvāt How to pronounce salivate (audio)
salivated; salivating
Synonyms of salivatenext

intransitive verb

1
: to have a flow of saliva especially in excess
2
: to show great desire or anticipation : drool
salivation noun
salivator noun

Examples of salivate in a Sentence

The smell alone was enough to make me salivate. She was salivating at the prospect of traveling to Europe.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The culling perfectly played into ongoing fears that AI automation is coming for white-collar jobs, a major job market and economic disruption that workers are becoming increasingly worried about — and which clearly has execs salivating. Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 5 Mar. 2026 The Middle East has become a playground for American financiers, who are salivating at the chance of tapping huge sums of money and shaping the region’s financial markets in their own image. Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 5 Mar. 2026 Seemingly endless peaks stretched out before us with everything from mellow trees to steep alpine bowls, leaving us salivating over those lines. Brent Rose, Outside, 28 Feb. 2026 The talented Czech goalies are practically salivating at the opportunity. Jesse Granger, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for salivate

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1706, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of salivate was circa 1706

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Salivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salivate. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

salivate

verb
sal·​i·​vate ˈsal-ə-ˌvāt How to pronounce salivate (audio)
salivated; salivating
: to produce or secrete saliva especially in large amounts
salivation noun

Medical Definition

salivate

verb
sal·​i·​vate ˈsal-ə-ˌvāt How to pronounce salivate (audio)
salivated; salivating

transitive verb

: to produce an abnormal flow of saliva in (as by the use of mercury)

intransitive verb

: to have a flow of saliva especially in excess

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