as in hunger
suffering or death caused by having nothing to eat or not enough to eat; the condition of someone who is starving
The famine brought mass starvation. Millions of people face starvation every day. They died from starvation.
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Recent Examples of starvation
The experience emulates the strategy, physical competition and even starvation sometimes.
—
Charlotte Walsh, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
Whales can drag heavy gear for months, unable to dive or feed properly, leading to starvation, infection and drowning.
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
For a writer of Wilde’s stature, mental starvation was a greater torment than physical hardship.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 May 2026
The department identified starvation as the primary cause of death.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for starvation
Charlotte Walsh, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
Whales can drag heavy gear for months, unable to dive or feed properly, leading to starvation, infection and drowning.
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
For a writer of Wilde’s stature, mental starvation was a greater torment than physical hardship.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 May 2026
The department identified starvation as the primary cause of death.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for starvation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for starvation
Noun
-
Ancient ruins deliver on that hunger like little else.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
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In her work with zebra finches, Elie has categorized 11 of the birds’ calls, linking them to distinct meanings such as hunger, danger, bonding and social conflict.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
Noun
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The conflict has killed at least 59,000 people, displaced some 13 million, and pushed many parts of the country into famine.—
Fatma Khaled,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
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On top of that, the vast majority were malnourished, as Israeli restrictions on aid drove Gaza’s population to the brink of famine at times.—
Toqa Ezzidin,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Prabowo aimed to fight malnutrition and help farmers by purchasing their harvests, but critics had questioned whether the program was affordable and logistically possible in a vast archipelago of more than 282 million people.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
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And dietitians are sharing concerns about malnutrition and muscle wasting.—
Sara Moniuszko,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Starvation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/starvation. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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