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 villagers on the rock had ripped clothes and dirty faces, seemingly stunned that they had been found alive in the race against starvation and suffocation. —Alexander Smith, NBC news, 27 May 2026

Imagine if more than one thousand Angelenos were dying of starvation every year while half the city was malnourished because a single cucumber cost $10. —Henry Mantel, Daily News, 27 May 2026

The lower threshold is the point where starvation is prevented while maintaining all biological and metabolic needs. —Kim Pfotenhauer, The Conversation, 22 May 2026

Whales can drag heavy gear for months, unable to dive or feed properly, leading to starvation, infection and drowning. —ABC News, 20 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1762, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing starvation

• starvation diet
• starvation wages

Rhymes for starvation

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

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