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.
Welcome to The Shark Tank – also known as Rick Case Arena -- where NSU’s opponents get swarmed upon and devoured. Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025 Nutria known for ‘devouring marshlands’ Nutria, a native species to South America, are invasive to the Gulf of America coast (formerly the Gulf of Mexico), the Atlantic coast and the Pacific Northwest, according to the FWS. Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2025 Now, though, astronomers have a better sense of where to hunt for any X-ray, radio, or visible-light signatures that are the telltale signs of an invisible black hole that's devouring everything nearby. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 6 Mar. 2025 At the gift shop, Segal bought Guggenheim’s autobiography, Out of this Century: Confessions of an Art Addict, and spent the train-journeys in Europe devouring the book. Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 4 Mar. 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 12 Mar. 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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