Devouring — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective /di-ˈvau̇(-ə)r/ (verb) /ˌself-di-ˈvau̇-riŋ/ (adjective) de·vour

Meaning & Definition of Devouring

Devouring (verb)

  1. to eat up greedily or ravenously
  2. to use up or destroy as if by eating
  3. to prey upon

Devouring (adjective)

  1. devouring or consuming oneself or itself

Devouring (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in gobbling, gulping

    similar: gobbling, gorging, gormandizing, gulping, hearty, wolfish, insatiable, unquenchable, unslakable, edacious, esurient, gluttonous, greedy, hoggish, piggish, rapacious, ravenous, swinish, voracious, empty, famished, hungry, peckish (chiefly British), starved, starving, malnourished, underfed, undernourished
    opposite: content, full, glutted, sated, satiated, satisfied, stuffed

Devouring (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to destroy all trace of

    "a series of devastating storms devoured the beach on the south side of the island"

    similar: consuming, eating (up)
    related: gutting, depleting, draining, exhausting, expending, spending, using up, annihilating, decimating, demolishing, desolating, devastating, doing in, pulverizing, razing, ruining, shattering, smashing, tearing down, wasting, wrecking, blotting out, eradicating, exterminating, extinguishing, extirpating, obliterating, removing, rubbing out, stamping (out), wiping out
    near: conserving, preserving, protecting, saving, building, constructing, erecting, putting up, raising

  2. to make complete use of

    "a catastrophic medical event that devoured their savings"

    similar: absorbing, burning, consuming, depleting, draining, drawing down, exhausting, expending, playing out, spending, using up, running out of
    related: abating, decreasing, de-escalating, diminishing, downsizing, dwindling, lessening, lowering, reducing, eating, using, bankrupting, cleaning (out), impoverishing, crippling, debilitating, disabling, enfeebling, sapping, undermining, weakening, drying up, emptying, blowing, dissipating, frittering (away), guzzling, lavishing, misspending, running through, squandering, throwing away, wasting
    opposite: renewing, replacing
    near: augmenting, enlarging, increasing, bolstering, enforcing, fortifying, reinforcing, strengthening, rebuilding, repairing, restoring, reviving, conserving, preserving, saving

  3. to swallow or eat greedily

    "the starving villagers simply devoured the relief food"

    similar: bolting, cramming, glutting (archaic), gobbling, gorging, gormandizing, gulping, ingurgitating, inhaling, ravening, scarfing, scoffing, slopping, wolfing
    related: overeating, pigging out, swilling
    near: nibbling, pecking, picking

Related Entry: Devour (verb)

Devour is a different word from Devouring. The synonyms below are for devour, not for devouring.

  1. to destroy all trace of

    "a series of devastating storms devoured the beach on the south side of the island"

    similar: consume, eat (up)
    related: gut, deplete, drain, exhaust, expend, spend, use up, annihilate, decimate, demolish, desolate, devastate, do in, pulverize, raze, ruin, shatter, smash, tear down, waste, wreck, blot out, eradicate, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, obliterate, remove, rub out, stamp (out), wipe out
    near: conserve, preserve, protect, save, build, construct, erect, put up, raise

  2. to make complete use of

    "a catastrophic medical event that devoured their savings"

    similar: absorb, burn, consume, deplete, drain, draw down, exhaust, expend, play out, spend, use up, run out of
    related: abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, reduce, eat, use, bankrupt, clean (out), impoverish, cripple, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, sap, undermine, weaken, dry up, empty, blow, dissipate, fritter (away), guzzle, lavish, misspend, run through, squander, throw away, waste
    opposite: renew, replace
    near: augment, enlarge, increase, bolster, enforce, fortify, reinforce, strengthen, rebuild, repair, restore, revive, conserve, preserve, save

  3. to swallow or eat greedily

    "the starving villagers simply devoured the relief food"

    similar: bolt, cram, glut (archaic), gobble, gorge, gormandize, gulp, ingurgitate, inhale, raven, scarf, scoff, slop, wolf
    related: overeat, pig out, swill
    near: nibble, peck, pick

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Devouring

The most common words with a similar meaning to Devouring:

Chiefly British: peckish
Archaic: glutting
gobbling, gorging, gormandizing, gulping, hearty, wolfish, insatiable, unquenchable, unslakable, edacious, esurient, gluttonous, greedy, hoggish, piggish, rapacious, ravenous, swinish, voracious, empty, famished, hungry, starved, starving, malnourished, underfed, undernourished, consuming, eating (up), absorbing, burning, depleting, draining, drawing down, exhausting, expending, playing out, spending, using up, bolting

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Devouring

Words with the opposite meaning of Devouring:

content, full, glutted, sated, satiated, satisfied, stuffed, renewing, replacing

Related Words for Devouring

gutting, annihilating, decimating, demolishing, desolating, devastating, doing in, pulverizing, razing, ruining, shattering, smashing, tearing down, wasting, wrecking, blotting out, eradicating, exterminating, extinguishing, extirpating, obliterating, removing, rubbing out, stamping (out), wiping out, abating, decreasing, de-escalating, diminishing, downsizing

Near Antonyms of Devouring

conserving, preserving, protecting, saving, building, constructing, erecting, putting up, raising, augmenting, enlarging, increasing, bolstering, enforcing, fortifying, reinforcing, strengthening, rebuilding, repairing, restoring, reviving, nibbling, pecking, picking

Word Forms of Devouring

Inflections: devoured, devours

Derived words: devourer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Devouring

Middle English, from Anglo-French devour-, stem of devorer, from Latin devorare, from de- + vorare to devour voracious

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Devouring

self-devouring

Frequently Asked Questions about Devouring

What does "Devouring" mean?

"Devouring" means to eat up greedily or ravenously. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to eat up greedily or ravenously. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Devouring"?

Other words for "Devouring" include gobbling, gorging, gormandizing, gulping, hearty, wolfish, insatiable and unquenchable. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Devouring" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Devouring"?

There are 111 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Devouring". Common alternatives include gobbling, gorging, gormandizing, gulping, hearty, wolfish, insatiable, unquenchable, unslakable and edacious.

What is the opposite of "Devouring"?

Antonyms of "Devouring" include content, full, glutted, sated, satiated, satisfied, stuffed and renewing. Near antonyms include conserving, preserving, protecting and saving.

How do you use "Devouring" in a sentence?

Examples of "Devouring" in a sentence: "a series of devastating storms devoured the beach on the south side of the island"; "a catastrophic medical event that devoured their savings"; "the starving villagers simply devoured the relief food".

Is "Devouring" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Devouring" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Devouring"?

"Devouring" is pronounced /di-ˈvau̇(-ə)r/ as a verb and /ˌself-di-ˈvau̇-riŋ/ as an adjective and divided into syllables as de·vour.

What is the origin of the word "Devouring"?

"Devouring" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French devour-, stem of devorer, from Latin devorare, from de- + vorare to devour voracious. First known use: 14th century.