hungry

adjective

hun·​gry ˈhəŋ-grē How to pronounce hungry (audio)
hungrier; hungriest
Synonyms of hungrynext
1
a
: feeling an uneasy or painful sensation from lack of food : feeling hunger
b
: characterized by or characteristic of hunger or appetite
a wolf with hungry eyes
2
a
: eager, avid
hungry for affection
b
: strongly motivated (as by ambition)
hungry investors
a power-hungry politician
3
: not rich or fertile : barren
a hungry soil
hungrily adverb
hungriness noun

Examples of hungry in a Sentence

There are millions of hungry people throughout the world. That girl is always hungry. The prisoners' families were hungry for more information. They were hungry to learn more.
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.
Authorities said Bock and others stole nearly $250 million intended to feed hungry children. Wcco Staff, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025 Its mission is to help the poor, the imprisoned, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, and victims of disaster locally, nationally, and internationally. News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025 How to feed those hungry wild birds this winter. Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025 As the indie music sector continues to grow — half of Spotify’s royalties went out to independent artists last year, the company said in March — expect music companies, ever-hungry for more market share, to keep targeting the distros. Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hungry

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hungry was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hungry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hungry. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

hungry

adjective
hun·​gry ˈhəŋ-grē How to pronounce hungry (audio)
hungrier; hungriest
1
: feeling or showing hunger
2
: eager, avid
hungry for all the details
hungrily adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on hungry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!