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 But neither remedy has removed the need for fossil fuels and no price spike has changed the thirst for oil. — Wael Mahdi, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026 The story follows the transformation of Adriana (Colin), a woman shattered by a terrible murder and who discovers the strength to start over, driven by an unquenchable thirst for justice. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026 The trend not only reflects the reach of the broader wellness and longevity movement, but also a thirst for communal experience and social connection, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. — Will Stone, NPR, 5 Oct. 2026 Naturally, many of those discussions gravitated toward data centers and AI’s thirst for electrons. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 28 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
  • Ladybird Taco started with a breakfast craving, a homemade tortilla and a chance encounter that changed everything.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • And, later, a midnight snack of lobster rolls, hot dogs, and pizzas certainly quashed any late-night cravings.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of craving
Noun
  • Jean Dorneval, a former Haiti defense minister, said while there is public enthusiasm and support among Haitians for Bukele’s troops, the government needs to provide answers.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Her enthusiasm for the Mexican tradition came from her oldest sister, who frequently dubbed it her favorite holiday.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of enthusiasm
Noun
  • The plan emerged from the House speaker’s desire to limit state spending and pad the state’s reserves.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Motivated by a desire to preserve this rarefied world, and to learn more about the country that her parents had fled, Hélène enrolled at Sciences Po and became an expert on the region.
    — Madeleine Wulfahrt, New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of desire
Noun
  • Driven by hunger, the pirates sailed through an opening the war in Iran blew wide open.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026
  • To satisfy an immediate hunger, Sake has 20 appetizers spanning from yakitori, takoyaki, and edamame.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of hunger
Noun
  • In the exclusive first-look clip above, O’Connor artfully grapples with his longing to return to music, hugging a past version of himself playing the violin as his face bleeds from a boxing injury.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Jeanne’s longing is pitiable, but its consequences are appalling.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of longing
Noun
  • Data centers have an enormous appetite for electricity, which adds to their impact.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Congress could try to clarify the debate through legislation, but the political appetite for that is hard to predict.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of appetite
Noun
  • Start by resisting the urge to overpromise, and give customers credit.
    — Chris Koehler, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Once the turkey is in the oven, resist the urge to keep checking on it.
    — Julie Harans, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of urge
Noun
  • To use satire to confirm does not bring with it dramatic excitement and risks a certain smugness of point of view.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Fast-forward to Arjona’s campaign shoot, and the excitement hadn’t turned down a notch.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 2 Nov. 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 5 Nov. 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 effrontery

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

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
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All