starvation

noun

star·​va·​tion stär-ˈvā-shən 

1

: the act or an instance of starving

2

: the state of being starved

Examples of starvation in a Sentence

The famine brought mass starvation.

Millions of people face starvation every day.

Recent Examples on the Web

The years-long conflict between the country’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has led to the world’s gravest humanitarian crisis, leaving hundreds of thousands of people on the brink of starvation. —Claire Cameron, semafor.com, 28 Sep. 2025

The events of October 7 were unprecedented in Israeli history, but with the widespread destruction, starvation and such a soaring toll of dead and injured in Gaza, the government of Benjamin Netanyahu has faced claims that its response has been disproportionate – even amounting to genocide. —Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025

Deaths from starvation have also continued to rise, according to Palestinian health officials. —Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 24 Sep. 2025

French doctors recorded the cause as starvation, pneumonia, and complications from an untreated stroke. —Marlene L. Daut september 22, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1762, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing starvation

• starvation diet
• starvation wages

Rhymes for starvation

• ablation
• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation
• collation

Kids Definition

starvation

noun

star·​va·​tion stär-ˈvā-shən 

: the act or an instance of starving : the state of being starved

Medical Definition

starvation

noun

star·​va·​tion stär-ˈvā-shən 

1

: the act or an instance of starving

2

: the state of being starved