thirsty

adjective

ˈthər-stē 

thirstier; thirstiest

1

a

: feeling thirst

hungry and thirsty

b

: deficient in moisture : parched

thirsty land/soil

c

: highly absorbent

thirsty towels

d

: causing thirst

thirsty work

2

a

: having a strong desire for something : avid

thirsty for knowledge

b

informal : feeling or showing a strong desire for attention, approval, or publicity (as on social media)

… the brands did what was inevitable: They began to tweet about the question, hoping to grab some of that attention for their own. For a thirsty brand, the only thing better than April Fools' Day is a hugely viral meme.

—Abby Ohlheiser

thirstiness

ˈthər-stē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• arid
• droughty
• dry
• sere
• sear
• waterless

Examples of thirsty in a Sentence

The salty food was making her thirsty.

struggling to survive in that hot and thirsty climate

Recent Examples on the Web

The all-stock deal represents a staggering sum, particularly at a time when venture firms have been thirsty for exits due to a yearslong dearth of IPOs and big acquisitions. —Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 22 May 2025

With two percent salicylic acid, the formula has niacinamide and glycerin to quench thirsty skin. —Jenny Berg, Allure, 17 May 2025

For some time, her mother, Mabel, had noticed that Kelly was losing weight, growing thin and weak, and waking up at night extremely thirsty. —Cynthia Tully, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025

So ditching your poorly suited turfgrass (or some of it) for less thirsty plants has obvious water-saving benefits. —Special To The Denver Post, Denver Post, 9 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English thirsti, thursty, þristi, going back to Old English þurstig, þyrstig, from þurst thirst entry 1 + -ig -y entry 1 (with parallel formations in Middle Dutch dorstich, Old High German durstac, tursteg)

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for thirsty

• bloodthirsty

Kids Definition

thirsty

adjective

ˈthər-stē 

thirstier; thirstiest

1

a

: feeling thirst

b

: needing moisture

thirsty land

2

: having a strong desire

thirsty for knowledge

thirstily

-stə-lē

adverb

Medical Definition

thirsty

adjective

ˈthər-stē 

thirstier; thirstiest

: feeling thirst