hunger 1 of 2

noun

ˈhəŋ-gər How to pronounce hunger (audio)
Definition of hungernext
1
as in appetite
a need or desire for food no degree of hunger would induce me to eat octopus

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2
as in thirst
a strong wish for something a lonely girl with a desperate hunger for love

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3
as in enthusiasm
urgent desire or interest reads everything he can find on airplanes with a seemingly insatiable hunger

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hunger (for)

2 of 2

verb

as in to crave
to have an earnest wish to own or enjoy voters hungering for honest and upright leadership

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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 hunger
Noun
Both regions face a catastrophic hunger crisis and a worsening drought that is devastating yields. — Mat Nashed, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Oct. 2026 With her solo career, Jade has pushed harder than ever before, fueled by an insatiable hunger for true pop greatness. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2026 This is a ridiculous complaint, though it’s rooted in a hunger for veracity that one can instinctively understand. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026 The city, captured by Russian forces in 2022, has gone months without electricity, heat or running water, as scarce food and medicine leave residents facing hunger and disease. — Ben Finley, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hunger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hunger
  1. appetite
  2. thirst
  3. enthusiasm
  4. starvation
  5. craving
  6. stomach
  7. desire
  8. longing
Noun
  • When the men become monstrous, the appetite for an alternative grows, even one that is stripped of all human identifiers.
    — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The only thing that satiates Homer’s appetite is gorging on the unhoused.
    — Joshua Kurp, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of appetite
Noun
  • Getting into spoilers, Matt’s escalating thirst for vengeance comes to a head at a nightclub owned by the mob boss who sliced up his face in the first place.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026
  • As Telemundo did not take advantage of the breaks, electing instead to keep its cameras trained on the pitch as the players quenched their thirst, Fox enjoyed all the benefits from the new advertising opportunity.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of thirst
Noun
  • Jean Dorneval, a former Haiti defense minister, said while there is public enthusiasm and support among Haitians for Bukele’s troops, the government needs to provide answers.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Her enthusiasm for the Mexican tradition came from her oldest sister, who frequently dubbed it her favorite holiday.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of enthusiasm
Noun
  • Some said the town was on the verge of starvation and residents were relying on homegrown produce to survive.
    — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2026
  • These included important reporting about resignations, behind-the-scenes arguments, and diplomatic cables about matters such as mass starvation in Gaza.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of starvation
Noun
  • Ladybird Taco started with a breakfast craving, a homemade tortilla and a chance encounter that changed everything.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • And, later, a midnight snack of lobster rolls, hot dogs, and pizzas certainly quashed any late-night cravings.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of craving
Noun
  • The infants would be able to feed to their stomachs’ content on the increasingly ripe meat without getting close to finishing the entire spread laid before them.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Their 8-year-old son was alive, but had been shot in the stomach.
    — Matt Schooley, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of stomach
Noun
  • This has bred a culture of entitlement and an insatiable desire for the government to do more, while many demand to work less, if at all.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
  • That dream came true during the pandemic, when the two saw an opportunity to develop a hospitality concept that would remain true to the agricultural character of the property and feed people's ever-growing desire to be out in nature.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of desire
Noun
  • In the exclusive first-look clip above, O’Connor artfully grapples with his longing to return to music, hugging a past version of himself playing the violin as his face bleeds from a boxing injury.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Jeanne’s longing is pitiable, but its consequences are appalling.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of longing

Phrases Containing hunger

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hung back
hunger
hungered (for)
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Cite this Entry

“Hunger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hunger. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hunger

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hunger

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