thirst

noun

ˈthərst How to pronounce thirst (audio)
Definition of thirstnext
1
as in craving
a strong wish for something his thirst for knowledge is evident in his book-filled house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enthusiasm
urgent desire or interest an unquenchable thirst for travel that has led her to the far corners of the globe

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 thirst Naturally, many of those discussions gravitated toward data centers and AI’s thirst for electrons. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026 Advanced signs include anxiety, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, extreme thirst paired with panic at the sight of fluids, heavy saliva and aggressive thrashing or biting. — The Sacramento Bee Staff, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026 Throughout the song, water and thirst become metaphors for overwhelming desire, with the singers acknowledging that their connection is powerful enough to extinguish — or ignite — the fire between them. — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2026 After running the gauntlet of crash barriers and hordes of fans, guests were treated to salty French fries and greasy burgers, with gin tonics and martinis to quench their thirst. — Mary Wenthur, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thirst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thirst
  1. craving
  2. enthusiasm
  3. desire
  4. hunger
  5. longing
  6. appetite
  7. urge
  8. excitement
Noun
  • The books below will satisfy your bog witch cravings, while also reminding you of the real-world importance of bogs as bulwarks against climate change, cradles of biodiversity, and keepers of ancestral memory.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Another is Gimme Gummy, a craving for squishy, jelly-like textures in everything from candy to phone cases.
    — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of craving
Noun
  • Zelensky does not appear to be in a rush to hold elections and the public has shown little enthusiasm for heading to the polls as bombs fly overhead.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The strongman is failing, even as the opposition struggles to inspire a great deal of conviction and enthusiasm.
    — Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of enthusiasm
Noun
  • In order to be helpful, Muse constantly builds extensive dossiers of users and their desires, social relationships, and messaging behaviors, TIME’s Harry Booth reported this month.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • This offbeat tendency doesn’t preclude a desire to make a big splash, of course.
    — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of desire
Noun
  • Hardware demand Despite these concerns, the sector's hunger for chips doesn't seem to be letting up, as seen in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's record quarter.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Jasper, in Chicago, understands the risk of silencing those hunger cues.
    — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of hunger
Noun
  • He’s also fully equipped with human foibles, including a longing for celebrity.
    — Leslie Camhi, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
  • As private longing collides with honor and social codes, each character has to reckon with what their choices cost.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of longing
Noun
  • Last year, Kort helped launch an Eat the Invaders event, bringing chefs together to channel people’s appetite for delicious food by cooking with invasive and overabundant species.
    — Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Switches made from wide-bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide could handle far higher voltages than silicon, and the EV industry’s appetite for these materials began driving the cost down just as a hungrier customer arrived.
    — Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of appetite
Noun
  • When a genuine problem arises, said Ryan Jane Jacoby, a clinical psychologist and researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital, resist the urge to eliminate every unknown.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • But if the urge to work up a sweat arises, there’s a heated outdoor swimming pool and a full-size grass tennis court.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of urge
Noun
  • Lulingu, a Grauer’s gorilla who was reintroduced to Virunga National Park in eastern Congo, is raising a baby after a successful birth, bringing excitement for the conservationists working there.
    — Elodie Toto, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Michael Platt, a professor of marketing, psychology and neuroscience at the Wharton School, says the answer may lie in how the brain responds to risk, excitement and the promise of a big win.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of excitement

Phrases Containing thirst

Browse Nearby Words

third rails
thirst
thirsted (for)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thirst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thirst. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on thirst

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about thirst

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vocation

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 23

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

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

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All