Synonyms for

Starving

Verb / ˈstɑ:rvɪŋ / Another word for starving — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

to suffer or die from lack of food; extremely hungry

Synonyms & similar words

hunger famish starvation lust feed thirst starved befull starve crave famished hungry ravenous empty deprived malnourished undernourished gaunt emaciated skinny thin hollow-eyed pinched skeletal starved weak faint lackadaisical listless

Synonyms by register

Formal

famished deprived underfed

Informal

starvin' dying of hunger could eat a horse ravenous

Literary

gaunt emaciated hollow-eyed

Antonyms

full satisfied nourished sated fed content

Common collocations

  • starving to death
  • starving artist
  • starving for attention
  • starving children
  • starving population
  • starving for knowledge
  • starving the beast

Word family

noun starvation
verb starve
adjective starved
adverb starvedly

Usage note

While 'starving' can literally mean dying from lack of food, it is often used hyperbolically to express extreme hunger. 'Starving artist' refers to an artist who is poor and struggling financially.

Example sentences

  1. I am starving, can we please have dinner now?
  2. The poor child was starving and had not eaten for days.
  3. The famine in the country left many people starving.
  4. After the workout, I felt like I was starving and needed to eat something.
  5. The stranded hiker was starving and had to eat insects to survive.

Quotes

  • A starving man will eat with the wolf.
  • Proverb
  • Starvation is the mother of insanity.

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