devour

verb

di-ˈvau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce devour (audio)
Definition of devournext
1
as in to consume
to destroy all trace of a series of devastating storms devoured the beach on the south side of the island

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to spend
to make complete use of a catastrophic medical event that devoured their savings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to inhale
to swallow or eat greedily the starving villagers simply devoured the relief food

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of devour Also in line were members of the Plaha family of Santa Clara, who have been fans since son Nihal, 10, devoured a Stan’s doughnut at the age of 1, mother Kassey recounted, laughing. — Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 31 July 2026 Then there are rabbitfish that can devour algae from the sea bottom, destroying the habitat for many indigenous species. — ABC News, 30 July 2026 The youthfulness behind the order was balanced by his commitment to fitness and his role as a professional hockey player that kept him from devouring it all. — Scott Powers, New York Times, 30 July 2026 But which would swallow them right up again, devour them whole, given half a chance. — Literary Hub, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for devour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devour
  1. consume
  2. spend
  3. inhale
  4. drain
  5. gulp
  6. exhaust
  7. cram
  8. absorb
Verb
  • Manufacturing meth on-island is pretty much impossible — there aren’t many places to hide a meth lab — so most meth that reaches Hawaii comes from the mainland, as is the case with most products consumed on the islands.
    — Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Enrico Rivetto, whose eponymous winery produces three Barolos and one Barbaresco, says locally Barbaresco was consumed more often than Barolo because of its greater drinkability.
    — Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of consume
Verb
  • The sisters also make a point of scheduling many of their medical appointments together, turning long drives into an opportunity to spend time with one another.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Establishing that sense of familiarity requires time spent playing and training together, something made more difficult by a constant carousel of new signings.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of spend
Verb
  • In March 2025 the FDA advised consumers not to inhale any flavor of nitrous oxide from canisters, tanks or chargers.
    — Jesse M. Pines, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Spores can enter through a cut in the skin or be inhaled or ingested.
    — RJ Mackenzie, Popular Science, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of inhale
Verb
  • Freezing dormant coins, supporters argue, beats letting a future quantum thief drain them and dump them on the market.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Position the Pit Fill a small pot with well-draining potting soil.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of drain
Verb
  • Rather than trying to gulp the slimy thing down, Wilkinson went into the kitchen and prepared an extravagant breakfast for himself, complete with Dr Pepper to wash it down.
    — Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 12 June 2026
  • Others can’t stand the sound of gulping.
    — Sloane Crosley, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
Definition of gulp
Verb
  • If the United States decided to send ground forces into Iran on the scale necessary to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, defending those forces could exhaust the remaining stocks of advanced air-defense systems.
    — Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Both player exhausted their eligibility as seniors last season and went undrafted, but with the new ruling, could find their way back to Orlando.
    — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of exhaust
Verb
  • The network had a two-way smuggling route between Algeria and Spain, transporting drugs to the African nation and cramming boats with migrants for the return trip to Spanish coastal towns, Spain’s Civil Guard said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Filmed during Covid, Vaught and Funk crammed themselves into a small bathroom to film a scene where a puppet bursts out of the toilet to throttle Vaught.
    — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of cram
Verb
  • Above a certain temperature, the system starts to work against itself; the furious beating of cilia uses up any oxygen the coral’s tissues can absorb, and then the polyps can suffocate in the less oxygenated water.
    — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Salmon argues there simply won’t be enough collectors or museums willing to absorb it.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of absorb

Browse Nearby Words

devotions
devour
devoured
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Cite this Entry

“Devour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devour. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of devour for Spanish Speakers

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