thirst

noun

\ ˈthərst

Definition of thirst

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a sensation of dryness in the mouth and throat associated with a desire for liquids also : the bodily condition (as of dehydration) that induces this sensation

b : a desire or need to drink

2 : an ardent desire : craving, longing a thirst for success

thirst

verb

thirsted; thirsting; thirsts

Definition of thirst (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to feel thirsty : suffer thirst

2 : to crave vehemently and urgently thirsted for revenge thirsting after justice

Other Words from thirst Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about thirst

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Choose the Right Synonym for thirst

Verb

long, yearn, hanker, pine, hunger, thirst mean to have a strong desire for something. long implies a wishing with one's whole heart and often a striving to attain. longed for some rest yearn suggests an eager, restless, or painful longing. yearned for a stage career hanker suggests the uneasy promptings of unsatisfied appetite or desire. always hankering for money pine implies a languishing or a fruitless longing for what is impossible. pined for a lost love hunger and thirst imply an insistent or impatient craving or a compelling need. hungered for a business of his own thirsted for power

Examples of thirst in a Sentence

Noun his thirst for knowledge is evident in his book-filled house an unquenchable thirst for travel that has led her to the far corners of the globe

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The idea for this thirst-quenching line of face masks was born in India, where Arpeeta Oberai discovered the rejuvenating power of tea and herbal remedies after leaving her job at Sephora to travel the world. — Anna Haines, Forbes, "26 Asian-Owned Beauty Brands To Add To Your Top Shelf," 21 Apr. 2021 Luckily there are plenty of new spirited products that have launched within the last year to help quench your growing thirst. — Amber Love Bond, Forbes, "10 Boozy Delights That Should Be On Your Radar This Spring," 16 Apr. 2021 Each orb of citrus, berry, or drupe feels like a special gift from the earth, a sweet surprise that can both quench your thirst and fill your stomach. — Olivia Harrison, refinery29.com, "So, How Is It Really? The Incredibly Expensive “Tesla Of Strawberries”," 9 Apr. 2021 At game’s end a few real-time minutes later, the Harpooners (7-6 record) quenched their title thirst with the latest in a six-pack of 2A crowns. — Matt Nevala, Anchorage Daily News, "Can’t-miss Harpooners collect another Class 2A boys basketball championship," 4 Apr. 2021 Engage in physical activities like bike riding or sports that involve other people in order to quench your thirst for social interactions. — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, "Horoscope for April 3, 2021: Happy birthday Rachel Bloom; Leo, put plans into action," 3 Apr. 2021 A year into the pandemic, our collective thirst for the great outdoors is evident. — Nicole Kliest, Condé Nast Traveler, "12 Outdoor Brands Every Traveler Should Know About," 3 Mar. 2021 What’s needed now is an exorcism of military arrogance and influence from the American soul—by withdrawing from the Middle East and Afghanistan and extinguishing our thirst for international power. — Jasper Craven, The New Republic, "How the Military Turns Troops Into Extremists," 4 Feb. 2021 These modest entrepreneurs only profit when they are let go to relieve others’ hunger and thirst. — Art Carden, Forbes, "That The Profit Of One Man Is The Gain Of Another," 28 Feb. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Vinegar and other sour deeds are all that today's Republicans offer those of us who thirst for justice by standing in endless voting lines, or who seek health care or a livable wage. — Arkansas Online, "Letters," 3 Apr. 2021 A year after the show's release, and the hype around Connell's chain has died down, leaving me on the lookout for another fashion chain to thirst over. — Eliza Huber, refinery29.com, "If You Thought Connell’s Chain Was Hot, Wait Until You See Regé-Jean Page Wearing One," 21 Feb. 2021 Still thirst quenching and delicious, but more robust. — Rachel King, Fortune, "There’s more than one way to ditch white (wine) after Labor Day," 5 Sep. 2020 But there is more than one way to thirst for recognition. — Matthew Continetti, National Review, "The End of History and ‘The Last Dance’," 2 May 2020 The Nationals got a hero's welcome home from tens of thousands of people in a city that had thirsted for a baseball champion for nearly a century. — Carole Feldman, chicagotribune.com, "Washington celebrates Nationals’ World Series championship with parade and rally," 2 Nov. 2019 Welcome to the future indeed, where nudes abound and thirst trapping for a good cause is no longer a taboo way of life. — Jason Parham, Wired, "Plz Donate in Exchange for Celebrity Nudes," 22 Apr. 2020 Many thirsted for and thrived in the company of others. — Dan Barry, New York Times, "‘Everything Is a Black Hole’: Mounting Dread in the Age of Coronavirus," 15 Mar. 2020 Similar claims could be made at numerous schools thirsting for national validation, places like Dayton and San Diego State, as well as March mainstays like Kansas, Kentucky and Duke. — Tim Sullivan, The Courier-Journal, "College basketball does what was once unthinkable, then inevitable — and ultimately right," 12 Mar. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'thirst.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for thirst

Noun

Middle English þurst, þrust, þirst, þrist, going back to Old English þurst, going back to Germanic *þurstu- (whence also West Frisian toarst "thirst," Old Saxon thurst, Old High German thurst, durst, beside an n-stem in Old Norse þorsti "thirst," Gothic þaurstei), going back to Indo-European *tr̥s-t- (whence also Old Irish tart "dryness, drought, thirst"), nominal derivative from a verbal base *ters- "dry up, become thirsty," whence Gothic gaþaursana "withered" (accusative plural participle, from a strong verb *gaþairsan "to wither," if not from gaþaursnan "to dry up, wither"), Greek térsomai, térsesthai "to become dry, dry up"; also from a present-tense formation *tr̥s-i̯e-, Old English þyrred "dried out," Gothic þaursjan "to be thirsty," Sanskrit tṛṣyati "(s/he) is thirsty"; from a causative *tors-éi̯e- Old High German derren "to make dry," Old Norse þerra, Latin torreō, torrēre "to heat so as to dry, scorch, parch, (of food) roast, bake," Sanskrit tarṣáyati "(s/he) makes thirsty," Hittite taršant- "drying"

Note: The noun thirst has lost etymological -u- in favor of the -i- spelling of the verb. Variation between -u- and -i- is already evident in Middle English, at a time when the vowels would still generally have been distinguished, along with metathetic variants with the vowel following r. The spelling thurst is not infrequent in the seventeenth century, though Samuel Johnson's dictionary (1755) only acknowledges thirst.

Verb

Middle English þirsten, þristen, thrusten "to suffer from thirst, be thirsty (in impersonal me thirsteth "I am thirsty"), going back to Old English þyrstan, going back to Germanic *þurstjan- (whence also Old Saxon thurstian "to be thirsty," Old High German thursten, dursten, Old Norse þyrsta), verbal derivative of *þurstu- "thirst" — more at thirst entry 1

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Last Updated

4 May 2021

Cite this Entry

“Thirst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thirst. Accessed 13 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for thirst

thirst

noun

English Language Learners Definition of thirst

(Entry 1 of 2)

: an uncomfortable feeling that is caused by the need for something to drink

: a very great need for something to drink

literary : a strong desire for something

thirst

verb

English Language Learners Definition of thirst (Entry 2 of 2)

literary : to have or feel a strong desire

See the full definition for thirst in the English Language Learners Dictionary

thirst

noun

\ ˈthərst

Kids Definition of thirst

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a feeling of dryness in the mouth and throat that accompanies a need for liquids

2 : the bodily condition that produces thirst die of thirst

3 : a strong desire a thirst for knowledge

thirst

verb

thirsted; thirsting

Kids Definition of thirst (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to feel a need for liquids

2 : to have a strong desire They thirst for freedom.

thirst

noun

\ ˈthərst

Medical Definition of thirst

: a sensation of dryness in the mouth and throat associated with a desire for liquids also : the bodily condition (as of dehydration) that induces this sensation