Definition of gluttonousnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word gluttonous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of gluttonous are rapacious, ravenous, and voracious. While all these words mean "excessively greedy," gluttonous applies to one who delights in eating or acquiring things especially beyond the point of necessity or satiety.

an admiral who was gluttonous for glory

Where would rapacious be a reasonable alternative to gluttonous?

The words rapacious and gluttonous can be used in similar contexts, but rapacious often suggests excessive and utterly selfish acquisitiveness or avarice.

rapacious developers indifferent to environmental concerns

When could ravenous be used to replace gluttonous?

While in some cases nearly identical to gluttonous, ravenous implies excessive hunger and suggests violent or grasping methods of dealing with food or with whatever satisfies an appetite.

a nation with a ravenous lust for territorial expansion

When is it sensible to use voracious instead of gluttonous?

The synonyms voracious and gluttonous are sometimes interchangeable, but voracious applies especially to habitual gorging with food or drink.

teenagers are often voracious eaters

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 gluttonous Odysseus and his men greedily devour a lavish meal prepared for them, only to discover their host is the witch Circe (played by Samantha Morton), who transforms the gluttonous sailors into pigs for abusing her hospitality. Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 19 July 2026 The memory is where the data gets placed and served up to the processor, like a dinner platter holding a gluttonous giant’s feast. Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 28 June 2026 Here, a gluttonous breakfast feast is served, followed by modern Thai fare for lunch and dinner. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 June 2026 Beyond these big questions, the DSA will also trace the step-by-step formation of stars in young galaxies, and observe energetic outbursts from gluttonous black holes. Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for gluttonous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gluttonous
Adjective
  • One of Nader’s grandsons, Shah Rukh, was tortured by a greedy court eunuch named Agha Muhammad to force him to reveal the location of the invaluable diamond.
    Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026
  • That detail — and revelations that Mangione’s private writings lambasted health insurers as greedy, according to authorities — made the case a fulcrum for debate about the industry and made Mangione a cause célèbre for some of its critics.
    Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • This franchise has proven the ability to spin anything — to keep ravenous fans on the line under any circumstance.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
  • As competitors down dogs for ten straight minutes with a ravenous efficiency that feels worlds apart from snacking on a frank at the ballpark, eating escalates into an élite physical spectacle nearing performance art.
    Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 3 July 2026
Adjective
  • The Pork Belly A breakfast diner that added piggish flair to Kuna’s dining scene is no more.
    Michael Deeds January 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 Jan. 2026
  • The merged generative AI model is bloated and runs extremely slowly, possibly so piggish that using it on everyday tasks is exasperating and imprudent due to enormous delays while processing.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Gluttonous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gluttonous. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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