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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

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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 Plastic water bottles pile up at shrines to Difunta Correa, who legend says miraculously nursed her infant son after dying of thirst in the desert. — ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026 This short, high-spirited tall tale careens through an all-Black Oklahoma town bursting with gossip, humor and a thirst for justice. — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 Anecdotally, gardeners find that thirst drives this behavior. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2026 The thirst response can also weaken with age, making dehydration more likely. — Panashe Matemba-Mutasa, Mercury News, 31 Aug. 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
  • Although The Love Witch played around 100 theaters upon its 2016 debut, will audiences’ cravings for something different be enough to secure a wide release for The Face of Horror a decade later?
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Needing coffee immediately upon waking and experiencing afternoon fatigue, irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, and sugar cravings.
    — Marie Bladt, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of craving
Noun
  • Rubin nods along to those moments — which could have been trimmed and transformed JAŸ-Z in 8 into JAŸ-Z in 6 or maybe JAŸ-Z in 4 — with the same enthusiasm as when Carter actually breaks something down perceptively.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • But Husted may not need to generate much enthusiasm of his own.
    — Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of enthusiasm
Noun
  • Ellen displays intimacy with Lara in front of Ruby; Lara withholds and then offers attention; Ruby watches with envy, desire, and the alertness of a guest who cannot tell whether she is being welcomed or appraised.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Produced by Sergio Adrià’s Espurna Films, with Sandra Hermida on board as co-producer, the film centers on 17-year-old Clara, whose desire to be seen and loved is complicated by a growing impulse to escape the expectations surrounding her.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of desire
Noun
  • His efforts to interfere with his own facility were an expression both of his dividedness and of his deep hunger for freedom.
    — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Maybe my argument was so strong, the AI would realize that its tech overlords were using this insanely powerful technology not to solve hunger or climate change, but to make reading less essential.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of hunger
Noun
  • Every now and then, in the early hours of the morning, Kumar sits in the stillness to watch the fishermen return with their catch and feels a pang of longing.
    — Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Several of my favorite poetry collections capture the nuanced process of breaking up, with its extreme states of longing, anger, and sorrow—while also expanding the capacity for joy, pleasure, and compassion.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of longing
Noun
  • Two companies in the AI ecosystem have delayed their IPOs, the latest sign that investor appetite for the trade is uneven at best.
    — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Your appetite for solitude may be stronger than usual.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of appetite
Noun
  • Match the setup to the actual disruption, whether that’s snoring, temperature clash, mismatched schedules or none of the above, and ignore the urge to simply go with what’s trendy this month.
    — Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • All three films also emphasize the physical toll of the urge to smash, snag, and steal.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of urge
Noun
  • Wells said excitement around Meta's new AI releases , including the Muse personal agent app, gives the social media giant a story to tell during the Meta Connect conference.
    — Kevin Stankiewicz,Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The useful question is whether the choice still feels worthwhile once the excitement fades.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of excitement

Phrases Containing thirst

Browse Nearby Words

third rails
thirst
thirsted (for)
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Cite this Entry

“Thirst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thirst. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on thirst

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about thirst

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