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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of famished
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
None of this perturbed Schwarzenegger, who was a famously quick study, almost lupine in his famished eagerness to learn, trading weight-lifting tips with his distinguished co-star James Earl Jones in return for actorly advice.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
The famished road warriors drove down the cold mountain highway and across the bridge into the town.
—J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, 8 July 2024
On the outskirts of Wollongong, waking at dawn from its 20-hour nap, a famished, branch-hugging koala stretched its claw skyward for a fat, juicy green eucalyptus leaf.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for famished
Gary Graff, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2024
None of this perturbed Schwarzenegger, who was a famously quick study, almost lupine in his famished eagerness to learn, trading weight-lifting tips with his distinguished co-star James Earl Jones in return for actorly advice.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
The famished road warriors drove down the cold mountain highway and across the bridge into the town.
—J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, 8 July 2024
On the outskirts of Wollongong, waking at dawn from its 20-hour nap, a famished, branch-hugging koala stretched its claw skyward for a fat, juicy green eucalyptus leaf.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for famished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for famished
Adjective
-
So last Monday, after scrolling through news of the government shutdown and with nothing else planned for the day, the couple decided to fire up their Pit Boss pellet grill and feed anyone who was hungry, no questions asked.—
Sean Clancy,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
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Voter anger over the cost of living is hurtling forward into next year’s midterm elections, when pivotal contests will be decided by communities that are home to fast-rising electric bills or fights over who’s footing the bill to power Big Tech’s energy-hungry data centers.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The United States must step away from war and send food to Venezuela’s impoverished people.—
William Lambers,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Jan. 2026
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Leaning into the superstition that someone with albinism can bring wealth to those in need, Panay’s story follows a young boy with albinism (Boubacar Dembèlè), whose voice is believed to hold special powers that can protect impoverished miners risking their lives for gold.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
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In recent games, KU’s communication has been pretty poor on defense and that’s led to players taking (and too often missing) wide-open 3-pointers.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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All of that stuff is very much in play in what’s recognizably on-brand Steppenwolf acting, typified by go-for-broke intensity, naked in more ways than one, from Coon and Smallwood, especially.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Dennis Hamlin took out multiple mortgages, maxed out several credit cards and nearly went broke, the Associated Press reported, all in pursuit of the dream to get his son into NASCAR.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Famished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/famished. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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