hungry

adjective

ˈhəŋ-grē How to pronounce hungry (audio)
Definition of hungrynext
1
as in starving
feeling a desire or need for food John was still hungry after eating only a muffin for breakfast

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest hungry for the latest news

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 hungry Program costs, hungry pests, and limited access are other hurdles. — Emily Staunton, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Sep. 2026 Voldemort, Harry Potter Cruel with no hope of redemption, Harry Potter‘s nemesis (Ralph Fiennes in the films) is an old-school unrepentant, power-hungry, control freak. — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026 Time and money are being lost to needless bureaucracy, and people are going hungry and losing health care as a result. — Abdullah Shihipar, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026 The trailer, released earlier in August, has generated buzz in media business circles for the appearance of Jeff Zucker, former NBCUniversal chief executive, who appears as himself in a small role as a ratings-hungry network executive. — Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hungry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hungry
  1. excited
  2. enthusiastic
  3. avid
  4. eager
  5. anxious
  6. thirsty
Adjective
  • As her wedding quickly approached, Natalie recalls being excited but also emotional at wearing the dress in front of her grandmother.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Like Knicks fans watching the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history excited.
    — Craig Carton OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • Democrats are especially enthusiastic about Iowa, which hasn’t elected a Democratic governor in 20 years.
    — Steven Sloan, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • However, not all critics were enthusiastic about the film itself.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of enthusiastic
Adjective
  • An avid collector of Old Hollywood artifacts, in 2014, Johns acquired a box at auction filled with autographed photographs—including one personally inscribed by Marilyn Monroe—and documents connected to celebrity facialist Madame Renna.
    — Lauren Valenti, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026
  • An avid book collector who scours bookshops for special editions like others hunt rare vinyl, Mazzotti is emphatic about their emotional magnetism, noting a rising appetite from creative agencies, artists, and families reimagining heirlooms.
    — Clare Coulson, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of avid
Adjective
  • Scavullo was dead, however, and nobody seemed eager to help her.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
  • There will always be meaningful stories to tell, people compelled to tell them, and audiences eager to experience them.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of eager
Adjective
  • That feels very much in tune with the anxious characters Eisenberg has played over the course of his acting career, but this whole directing thing is working out nicely for him, too.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Nelson remembers hushing her foster children back to sleep that night and calling 911, anxious for an end to those sleepless nights.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • If anyone in your party is thirsty, the Joe Klass Water Stop is nearby.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Add the cost of tires, consumables, a thirsty engine, and the fact that cars are all so ludicrously expensive to begin with these days, and soon the whole thing starts to look unsustainable.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of thirsty

Browse Nearby Words

hung (over)
hungry
hung together
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hungry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hungry. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of hobnob

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All