1
as in extreme
being very far from the center of public opinion
soccer fans whose rabid enthusiasm makes them go berserk when their team wins
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in angry
feeling or showing anger
he became rabid when the bank manager told him he would lose the family farm if he didn't pay the mortgage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ferocious
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
rabid opposition expressed through turbulent protests
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in frantic
marked by great and often stressful excitement or activity
the rabid witch hunts that occurred in Salem in 1692, when 150 people were accused of witchcraft and imprisoned
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 rabid
During pregame warmups David Beckham and the Mas brothers walked toward the end-zone where all the most rabid fans do the flag-waving and drum-beating and raised their hands to applaud the cheering fans.
—
Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
One rabid mongoose bite later, and Ben is a skull-crushing, face-ripping menace terrorizing Lucy and her friends.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
And then there’s the New England Sports Network, or NESN, which has the benefit of airing some local games to New England’s rabid fan base, as well as Pittsburgh’s.
—Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
The duo broke out through a series of increasingly rabid live shows, and are gearing up for another rowdy tour this spring.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rabid
Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
One rabid mongoose bite later, and Ben is a skull-crushing, face-ripping menace terrorizing Lucy and her friends.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
And then there’s the New England Sports Network, or NESN, which has the benefit of airing some local games to New England’s rabid fan base, as well as Pittsburgh’s.
—Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
The duo broke out through a series of increasingly rabid live shows, and are gearing up for another rowdy tour this spring.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rabid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rabid
Adjective
-
But that was extreme, that was a different level.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Say goodbye to back pain and sore muscles with the Chirp Wheel XR 3-Pack, your at-home toolkit for extreme relief.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The 72-year-old coach walked toward Staley in the final seconds of the game before the two had an angry exchange, with assistants having to get in between them.—
David Brandt,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
When you're stressed or angry, your cortisol levels rise, which can have adverse effects on your heart, metabolism, and immune system.—
Sharon Basaraba,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Blown out, extravagant, dripping with ferocious malaise and desperation, but precisely arranged for the maximum possible emotional effect.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Otters are part of the weasel family (Mustelidae), which includes some of nature’s most ferocious pint-sized predators, such as badgers, martens, and wolverines.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Szeemann’s two Venice Biennales followed a decade of frantic exhibition-making across the globe, by Szeemann himself and by young professionals proud to call themselves independent curators.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Brooks, for his part, equivocated … A bout of frantic rebranding ensued.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Showing an new indie film in theaters rather than taking the more common route of going directly to a streaming service or video on demand or even the regional film festival circuit is a rather radical move these days.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The crowd at an event for James Fishback, a Florida gubernatorial candidate, who, like many other young conservatives, considers MAGA insufficiently radical.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Shortly after administering the technical to an enraged Self, referee Doug Sirmons hit KU’s coach with another tech, ostensibly for remaining on the court instead of returning to the coach’s box.—
Gary Bedore
March 5,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Latinx people of conscience recognize our own tios, tias, primos, primas, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers in the brown faces being livestreamed with blood and agony pouring into enraged mouths asking for help.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In 2023, a report from the Police Executive Research Forum, a national think tank on policing standards, called for police to put the brakes on car chases unless a violent crime has been committed and the suspect poses an imminent threat.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The enemy was large and violent.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The furious finish, in a game played in the midst of wind gusts that made 40 degrees feel much colder as afternoon turned to evening, came after the Padres lost an early lead and then got it back again.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Texas battled back to within one possession late, but Betts’ block sealed it for a team that has come too far and endured too much to be bothered by even the most furious of comeback attempts.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rabid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rabid. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
