hungry

adjective

hun·​gry ˈhəŋ-grē How to pronounce hungry (audio)
hungrier; hungriest
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.
Judaism calls upon us to feed the hungry and stand for the inherent dignity of every single human being. Rachel Timoner, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2025 Drivers on the points bubble will be extra hungry for a win to clinch their playoff spot, and hoping that another new winner doesn’t emerge from the field to push the cut line down. Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025 Doncic is hungry to prove himself and will now be able to do just that on arguably the biggest stage in the NBA. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Aug. 2025 George Anton is hungry, but he’s become used to the sensation—the urgent, aching feeling in his stomach, the heaviness of his limbs. Claire Porter Robbins, The Atlantic, 1 Aug. 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 7 Aug. 2025.

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
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