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 of thirsty

• excited
• avid
• enthusiastic
• eager
• hungry
• anxious
• pumped

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

These problems will likely only get worse over the next few decades, with thirsty parts of the state increasingly wanting to supply their regions with water from areas with more supply. — Lexi Salazar, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Yet among the jostle of thirsty freelancers, trays of tartare and Alexa Chung stood some bona fide British Old Masters of a quality and provenance not seen on the fashion scene in years. — Luke Leitch, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026

The new rules also eliminate the selling and trading of credits automakers use to compensate for producing fuel-thirsty vehicles. — Robert Ferris, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

Part of that is keeping an eye out for thirsty fans who might have a real interest in your man. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

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