devour

verb

de·​vour di-ˈvau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce devour (audio)
dē-
devoured; devouring; devours

transitive verb

1
: to eat up greedily or ravenously
devoured the turkey and mashed potatoes
2
: to use up or destroy as if by eating
We are devouring the world's resources.
3
: to prey upon
devoured by guilt
4
: to enjoy avidly
devours books
devourer noun

Examples of devour in a Sentence

He devoured everything on his plate. The lions devoured their prey. She devoured every golf magazine she could find. He watched intently, devouring the scene before him with his eyes.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The Wild’s two stars are on fire this series and are devouring the Golden Knights’ defensemen. Michael Russo, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025 Once the pasta dishes have been devoured, Beckham avoids sweet desserts or nightcaps. Isabella Milano, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2025 And for a hungry learner like Williams, one of the challenges for the coaching staff will be to keep their young quarterback from wanting to devour the entire buffet of knowledge in one sitting. Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2025 No one much liked the solitary writer Cornell Woolrich, except Hollywood, which devoured many of his noir novels and short stories, with their ingenious plots, solitary losers, and complicated protagonists. Sam Kashner, Air Mail, 12 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for devour

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of devour was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Devour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devour. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

devour

verb
de·​vour di-ˈvau̇(ə)r How to pronounce devour (audio)
1
: to eat up greedily or hungrily
devoured everything on his plate
2
: to use up or destroy as if by eating
fire devoured the barn
3
: to enjoy eagerly
devour a book

More from Merriam-Webster on devour

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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