1
a
: a craving or urgent need for food or a specific nutrient
b
: an uneasy sensation occasioned by the lack of food
The small meal wasn't enough to satisfy his hunger.
c
: a weakened condition brought about by prolonged lack of food
died of hunger
2
: a strong desire : craving
a hunger for success
hungered; hungering
ˈhəŋ-g(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to feel or suffer hunger (see hunger entry 1)
feasting while the poor hunger
2
: to have an eager desire
The nation hungers for a strong leader.
: to make hungry
Phrases
from hunger
: very bad or inept
the jokes were from hunger—
Mordecai Richler
Mordecai Richler
Synonyms
Noun
Verb
Examples of hunger in a Sentence
Noun
She has been a leader in the fight against world hunger.
One sandwich wasn't enough to satisfy his hunger.
Her students have a genuine hunger for knowledge.
Recent Examples on the WebJeremy Diamond, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
These receptors form the endocannabinoid system, which acts as conductor for an orchestra of neurotransmitters, turning up or down the volume on sleep, temperature, pain, hunger, learning, and memory.
—Julia Michie Bruckner, Discover Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
In 2022, Andrés persuaded Biden to hold a White House conference on hunger, nutrition, and health, the first of its kind held since 1969.
—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
The Israeli military released footage of the coordination behind that effort, which brought food to northern Gaza, where the U.N. says people are facing catastrophic levels of hunger.
—Peter Baker, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
The toll of hunger on the human body is evident from adults to children.
—Lauren Weber, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
But there’s a hunger for understanding and connection in the glittering snarl of pop-rock and all its malleable contours.
—Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2024
By then, the Yanomami were enduring a crisis, with malaria, hunger, and infant malnutrition spreading widely; hundreds of children had died.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
While oats definitely have more of the stuff than some other grains—sorry, rice—folks may find that its five grams per one half cup serving isn’t enough on its own to meet that goal and ward off hunger pangs.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 1 Apr. 2024
Alexis Waiss, The Arizona Republic, 17 Mar. 2024
Having helped put Barry behind bars, Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler) can't suppress his outsized ego, which hungers more for glory than justice.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 13 Apr. 2023
But there were many, many people who wanted what WFB had to offer, and even hungered for it.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024
The problem for the diminishing few in the Republican Party who hunger for responsible conservative governance is that these MAGA Media celebrities are leading the GOP down a path of isolation, which could ultimately result in its irrelevance with the rest of society.
—Oliver Darcy, CNN, 31 Jan. 2024
Tom was of course not a nincompoop, but a serious, thoughtful person who hungered to add substance to sketch comedy.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 29 Dec. 2023
But both DeSantis and Newsom are ambitious politicians who hunger for publicity.
—Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2023
Ever an innovator, McCraney is looking for ways to revitalize not only his own writing practice but the creative practice of theater artists like him who are hungering for new models, new modes of inspiration and new mechanisms of support.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2023
The supercharged mood on that occasion, inside the state’s two biggest fan bases, each of which had hungered so long not just for recognition and respect for their school, but for opportunity, was dynamic.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 31 July 2023
Noun
International pressure to reach a ceasefire deal is mounting as the devastation and suffering in Gaza from Israel’s blockade on aid and widespread destruction of the strip worsens and half the population live with catastrophic levels of hunger.
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
These receptors form the endocannabinoid system, which acts as conductor for an orchestra of neurotransmitters, turning up or down the volume on sleep, temperature, pain, hunger, learning, and memory.
—Julia Michie Bruckner, Discover Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
In 2022, Andrés persuaded Biden to hold a White House conference on hunger, nutrition, and health, the first of its kind held since 1969.
—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
The Israeli military released footage of the coordination behind that effort, which brought food to northern Gaza, where the U.N. says people are facing catastrophic levels of hunger.
—Peter Baker, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
The toll of hunger on the human body is evident from adults to children.
—Lauren Weber, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
But there’s a hunger for understanding and connection in the glittering snarl of pop-rock and all its malleable contours.
—Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2024
By then, the Yanomami were enduring a crisis, with malaria, hunger, and infant malnutrition spreading widely; hundreds of children had died.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
While oats definitely have more of the stuff than some other grains—sorry, rice—folks may find that its five grams per one half cup serving isn’t enough on its own to meet that goal and ward off hunger pangs.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 1 Apr. 2024
Verb
Arizona Food Bank Network, Phoenix, $25,000 To deliver 50 million pounds of fresh, nutritious produce, much of which would otherwise be wasted, to hunger relief organizations across Arizona.
—Alexis Waiss, The Arizona Republic, 17 Mar. 2024
Having helped put Barry behind bars, Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler) can't suppress his outsized ego, which hungers more for glory than justice.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 13 Apr. 2023
But there were many, many people who wanted what WFB had to offer, and even hungered for it.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024
The problem for the diminishing few in the Republican Party who hunger for responsible conservative governance is that these MAGA Media celebrities are leading the GOP down a path of isolation, which could ultimately result in its irrelevance with the rest of society.
—Oliver Darcy, CNN, 31 Jan. 2024
Tom was of course not a nincompoop, but a serious, thoughtful person who hungered to add substance to sketch comedy.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 29 Dec. 2023
But both DeSantis and Newsom are ambitious politicians who hunger for publicity.
—Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2023
Ever an innovator, McCraney is looking for ways to revitalize not only his own writing practice but the creative practice of theater artists like him who are hungering for new models, new modes of inspiration and new mechanisms of support.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2023
The supercharged mood on that occasion, inside the state’s two biggest fan bases, each of which had hungered so long not just for recognition and respect for their school, but for opportunity, was dynamic.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 31 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hunger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English, from Old English hungor; akin to Old High German hungar hunger, Lithuanian kanka torture
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of hunger was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing hunger
Dictionary Entries Near hunger
Cite this Entry
“Hunger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunger. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
hunger
2 of 2 verb
hungered; hungering
-g(ə-)riŋ
1
: to feel or suffer hunger
2
: to have an eager desire
hungered for affection
Medical Definition
hunger
noun
hun·ger
ˈhəŋ-gər
1
: a craving, desire, or urgent need for food
2
: an uneasy sensation occasioned normally by the lack of food and resulting directly from stimulation of the sensory nerves of the stomach by the contraction and churning movement of the empty stomach
3
: a weakened disordered condition brought about by prolonged lack of food
die of hunger
More from Merriam-Webster on hunger
Nglish: Translation of hunger for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of hunger for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hunger
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