Hungry — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈhəŋ-grē/ hun·gry

Meaning & Definition of Hungry

Hungry (adjective)

  1. feeling an uneasy or painful sensation from lack of food, feeling hunger
  2. characterized by or characteristic of hunger or appetite
  3. eager, avid

Hungry (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. feeling a desire or need for food

    "John was still hungry after eating only a muffin for breakfast"

    similar: empty, famished, peckish (chiefly British), starved, starving
    related: rapacious, ravenous, voracious, wolfish, malnourished, underfed, undernourished, gluttonous, gormandizing, greedy, hoggish, insatiable, piggish, piggy
    opposite: full, sated, satiate, satiated, satisfied
    near: engorged, glutted, gorged, overfed, overfull, overstuffed, replete, stuffed, surfeited

  2. showing urgent desire or interest

    "hungry for the latest news"

    similar: agog, antsy, anxious, ardent, athirst, avid, bonkers (informal), crazy, desirous, eager, enthused, enthusiastic, excited, gaga, geeked (slang), great, greedy, gung ho, hepped up, hopped-up, hot, impatient, juiced, keen, nuts, pumped, raring, solicitous, stoked (slang), thirsty, voracious, wild, champing at the bit, chomping at the bit
    related: engaged, interested, happy, hung up, obsessed, ambitious, appetent, covetous, craving, hankering, longing, pining, breathless, restive, restless, amenable, disposed, game, glad, inclined, ready, unreluctant, willing
    opposite: apathetic, indifferent, uneager, unenthusiastic
    near: casual, incurious, insouciant, nonchalant, unconcerned, uninterested, aloof, detached, disinterested, impassive, stolid, halfhearted, lackadaisical, languid, languorous, lukewarm, spiritless, averse, disinclined, hesitant, loath, reluctant, unwilling

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Hungry

The most common words with a similar meaning to Hungry:

Slang: geeked, stoked
Chiefly British: peckish
Informal: bonkers
empty, famished, starved, starving, agog, antsy, anxious, ardent, athirst, avid, crazy, desirous, eager, enthused, enthusiastic, excited, gaga, great, greedy, gung ho, hepped up, hopped-up, hot, impatient, juiced, keen, nuts, pumped, raring, solicitous, thirsty, voracious, wild, champing at the bit, chomping at the bit

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Hungry

Words with the opposite meaning of Hungry:

full, sated, satiate, satiated, satisfied, apathetic, indifferent, uneager, unenthusiastic

Related Words for Hungry

rapacious, ravenous, wolfish, malnourished, underfed, undernourished, gluttonous, gormandizing, hoggish, insatiable, piggish, piggy, engaged, interested, happy, hung up, obsessed, ambitious, appetent, covetous, craving, hankering, longing, pining, breathless, restive, restless, amenable, disposed, game

Near Antonyms of Hungry

engorged, glutted, gorged, overfed, overfull, overstuffed, replete, stuffed, surfeited, casual, incurious, insouciant, nonchalant, unconcerned, uninterested, aloof, detached, disinterested, impassive, stolid, halfhearted, lackadaisical, languid, languorous, lukewarm, spiritless, averse, disinclined, hesitant, loath

Word Forms of Hungry

Inflections: hungrier, hungriest

Derived words: hungrily (adverb), hungriness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Hungry

Middle English, from Old English hungrig; akin to Old English hungor

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Hungry

Words & Phrases Containing Hungry

go hungry

Frequently Asked Questions about Hungry

What does "Hungry" mean?

"Hungry" means feeling an uneasy or painful sensation from lack of food, feeling hunger. As an adjective, it is defined as: feeling an uneasy or painful sensation from lack of food, feeling hunger. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Hungry"?

Other words for "Hungry" include empty, famished, peckish, starved, starving, agog, antsy and anxious. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Hungry" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Hungry"?

There are 74 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Hungry". Common alternatives include empty, famished, peckish, starved, starving, agog, antsy, anxious, ardent and athirst.

What is the opposite of "Hungry"?

Antonyms of "Hungry" include full, sated, satiate, satiated, satisfied, apathetic, indifferent and uneager. Near antonyms include engorged, glutted, gorged and overfed.

How do you use "Hungry" in a sentence?

Examples of "Hungry" in a sentence: "John was still hungry after eating only a muffin for breakfast"; "hungry for the latest news".

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

"Hungry" is an adjective.

Is "Hungry" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Hungry" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Hungry"?

"Hungry" is pronounced /ˈhəŋ-grē/ and divided into syllables as hun·gry.