starvation

noun

star·​va·​tion stär-ˈvā-shən 

1

: the act or an instance of starving

2

: the state of being starved

Examples of starvation in a Sentence

The famine brought mass starvation.

Millions of people face starvation every day.

Recent Examples on the Web

The World Food Program reported that 3.1 million Afghans are on the brink of starvation. —Trisha Mukherjee, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2025

In the meantime, countless people will suffer disease, starvation, and death from the administration's unconscionable decision to withhold life-saving aid from the world's most vulnerable people. —Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025

Israel also denies there is starvation in Gaza, contradicting medics in the Palestinian enclave, global aid groups and even a close ally, President Donald Trump. —Mo Abbas, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025

Chaotic scenes continue to emerge from Gaza, with violence and starvation deepening amid Israel’s tight control of aid to the territory. —Helen Regan, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1762, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing starvation

• starvation diet
• starvation wages

Rhymes for starvation

• ablation
• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation
• collation

Kids Definition

starvation

noun

star·​va·​tion stär-ˈvā-shən 

: the act or an instance of starving : the state of being starved

Medical Definition

starvation

noun

star·​va·​tion stär-ˈvā-shən 

1

: the act or an instance of starving

2

: the state of being starved