Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of voracious are gluttonous, rapacious, and ravenous. While all these words mean "excessively greedy," voracious applies especially to habitual gorging with food or drink.

teenagers are often voracious eaters

When could gluttonous be used to replace voracious?

In some situations, the words gluttonous and voracious are roughly equivalent. 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 can rapacious be used instead of voracious?

While the synonyms rapacious and voracious are close in meaning, rapacious often suggests excessive and utterly selfish acquisitiveness or avarice.

rapacious developers indifferent to environmental concerns

When might ravenous be a better fit than voracious?

While in some cases nearly identical to voracious, 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

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 voracious After years of lobbying from various fishing interests who maintain the species not only made a comeback, but were wiping out other species because of their voracious appetites, the FWC agreed in 2022 to open a very limited goliath grouper season. David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 10 June 2025 The voracious pachyderm finally backed out of the store, a bag of snacks still clasped in his trunk. Chelsea Chan, NBC news, 5 June 2025 This year’s testing comes amid an increase in an invasive mosquito that is known for its voracious appetite and rapid spread that has alarmed state entomologists. Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 3 June 2025 Last season, Spurs were the Premier League’s most voracious pressers, allowing an average of 8.8 passes before attempting to win the ball back. Elias Burke, New York Times, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for voracious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for voracious
Adjective
  • They weren’t built by the government, but rather by those evil greedy private corporations and individuals who are guilty of the heinous crime of providing millions of Americans with places to live.
    The Editors, National Review, 30 June 2025
  • The backdrop of the Marcos dictatorship shaped her artistic approach, defined by an interest in quotidian experience—including everyday injustices such as gender inequality and the ecological exploitation of the Philippines by greedy conglomerates.
    Hung Duong, Artforum, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • Trump has been an avid proponent of reshoring U.S. manufacturing, using tariffs as a leverage to convince companies to build plants in the U.S. and attacking Apple for manufacturing its iPhones in Asia.
    Danny Bakst, Fortune, 26 June 2025
  • Residents who live near a fishing location, spend a lot of time near the water or are avid boaters are encouraged to get involved.
    Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • Fans became so ravenous that multiple guests drove hours for a taste, sometimes visiting from other states, only to find no physical space for dining.
    Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
  • That was part of what made the press so ravenous to have at her.
    Rachel Burchfield, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
Adjective
  • The 33-year-old state assemblyman has ensnared a wide net of seasoned billionaires and enthusiastic young activists, presented as a regular New Yorker who lived in Africa as a child.
    Alexandra Bregman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Diamond and her husband were enthusiastic volunteers since the 1990s for a local historic preservation organization, Historic Boulder, Inc.
    Colleen Slevin, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • That's because tomatoes are notoriously hungry for nutrients, and broccoli will compete for the same selection of nutrients in the soil.
    Steve Bender, Southern Living, 29 June 2025
  • Meanwhile, hungry Palestinians are enduring a catastrophic situation in Gaza.
    WAFAA SHURAFA, Arkansas Online, 29 June 2025
Adjective
  • In the comment section, fans were excited to see an intimate piece of her life.
    Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 1 July 2025
  • According to recent research from the global consumer research platform, GWI, 60% of consumers are excited for the further development of AI tools.
    Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • Columbus has the most cap room in the league and is eager to add this summer.
    Pierre LeBrun, New York Times, 21 June 2025
  • Their silence is not surprising—the Trump administration has been eager to punish individual colleges, especially those that speak out against administration policies.
    Emma Whitford, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • Mamdani emerges from the Democratic primary far stronger than even his most ardent supporters had hoped, winning virtually all economic groups in the Democratic Party except the very poor and the very rich, both of whom supported Andrew Cuomo.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 25 June 2025
  • Inter Miami defeated Porto 2-1 and gave this controversial tournament something even its most ardent detractors could celebrate.
    Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Voracious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/voracious. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

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