1
as in hungry
feeling a desire or need for food
after a full day of skiing, I was feeling absolutely famished
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
a group of local citizens working to ease the plight of the famished families in their community
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Recent Examples of famished
In his last broadcast — aired hours before he was killed — al-Sharif showed images of Gaza's famished children suffering from Israeli restrictions on aid.
—
Aya Batrawy, NPR, 12 Aug. 2025
Newcomer to the scene, The Madrid Edition, opened three years ago but is already established as a multi-pronged watering hole for the chic and famished.
—Alissa Fitzgerald, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
The restaurant at Tranquility Base was closed, however, so the by-then famished band found a late-night diner down the road.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2024
After over 23 hours of flying, starting in Heathrow, connecting in New York, and making a quick pit stop in Bogotá, I was terribly famished.
—Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for famished
Aya Batrawy, NPR, 12 Aug. 2025
Newcomer to the scene, The Madrid Edition, opened three years ago but is already established as a multi-pronged watering hole for the chic and famished.
—Alissa Fitzgerald, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
The restaurant at Tranquility Base was closed, however, so the by-then famished band found a late-night diner down the road.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2024
After over 23 hours of flying, starting in Heathrow, connecting in New York, and making a quick pit stop in Bogotá, I was terribly famished.
—Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for famished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for famished
Adjective
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In the simplest case, an unexpected reward (say, discovering some tasty fruit when hungry, or having someone attractive declare their love for you) causes a burst of dopamine release into a part of the basal ganglia known as the striatum—specifically, the nucleus accumbens.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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Because many meals are calorie-controlled, some people may need to add snacks or sides to feel fully satisfied, since meals that are too low in calories or protein may leave you hungry.—
Rita Templeton,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Pilgrims also threw in coins as offerings, some later retrieved by impoverished people to survive.—
Norma Meyer,
Oc Register,
4 Feb. 2026
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The penultimate episode saw Deathclaws descending on Freeside, an impoverished community on the fringes of New Vegas.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Semmann said stores raise prices primarily in response to supply chain issues, such as poor harvests, changes to international trade policy or increasing logistical costs.—
Francesca Pica,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
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Boating conditions are poor across offshore waters south of Cape Canaveral, while small craft need to exercise caution near the inlets.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And Cannon — who played with the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs — admitted to counterfeiting in the mid-1980s after a series of bad investments and debts left him broke.—
Seung Min Kim,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
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But the problem wasn’t going away, and now Perardi was broke.—
Matthew Bremner,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Famished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/famished. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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