Synonyms of ravenous

ravenous

adjective

ˈra-və-nəs 

as in greedy

having a huge appetite

we were ravenous after our canoe paddling, and the chili bubbling over the campfire smelled heavenly

Synonyms & Similar Words

• greedy
• hungry
• voracious
• starving
• gluttonous
• starved
• rapacious
• piggish
• hoggish
• swinish
• edacious
• esurient
• insatiable
• wolfish
• devouring
• unquenchable
• famished
• gobbling
• hearty
• gorging
• peckish
• malnourished
• gormandizing
• underfed
• undernourished
• gulping
• unslakable
• empty

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• satisfied
• full
• content
• stuffed
• sated
• satiated
• glutted

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of ravenous are gluttonous, rapacious, and voracious. While all these words mean "excessively greedy," 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

In what contexts can gluttonous take the place of ravenous?

The meanings of gluttonous and ravenous largely overlap; however, 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

When might rapacious be a better fit than ravenous?

The words rapacious and ravenous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rapacious often suggests excessive and utterly selfish acquisitiveness or avarice.

rapacious developers indifferent to environmental concerns

When can voracious be used instead of ravenous?

The words voracious and ravenous can be used in similar contexts, but voracious applies especially to habitual gorging with food or drink.

teenagers are often voracious eaters

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of ravenous

The reading drew a ravenous crowd packing the modestly sized Lower East Side storefront so tight that beads of sweat might as well have begun dripping from the walls. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2026

If one team gets really ravenous for Rust and offers a significant package, Dubas will pull the trigger. — Josh Yohe, New York Times, 16 June 2026

Singing almost exclusively in Creole, B0YG1RL’s Vinette attacks nearly everything in his wake with ravenous intent. — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 9 June 2026

Riders arrive ravenous, lining up for local eats like church spaghetti suppers. — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026