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

• dry
• sear

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

Pitt hilariously asked at one point F1 is in theaters now Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem just got a dose of how thirsty some fans are for them! —Jen Juneau, People.com, 27 June 2025

The crisp, sparkling wines come ice cold, and can be sipped either in the privacy of your daybed or cabana, or at the Legacy Pool’s intimate 10-seat bar—so, in other words, come thirsty! —Alex Schechter, Travel + Leisure, 27 June 2025

While annual sweet basil is especially thirsty, perennial culinary basil thrives in half-day sun. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 26 June 2025

Cotton is thirsty, chemically intensive and contributes to pesticide runoff in many parts of the world. —Zoe Bayliss Wong, Forbes.com, 11 June 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