Synonym Chooser

How is the word gluttonous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of gluttonous are rapacious, ravenous, and voracious. While all these words mean "excessively greedy," gluttonous applies to one who delights in eating or acquiring things especially beyond the point of necessity or satiety.

an admiral who was gluttonous for glory

Where would rapacious be a reasonable alternative to gluttonous?

The words rapacious and gluttonous can be used in similar contexts, but rapacious often suggests excessive and utterly selfish acquisitiveness or avarice.

rapacious developers indifferent to environmental concerns

When could ravenous be used to replace gluttonous?

While in some cases nearly identical to gluttonous, ravenous implies excessive hunger and suggests violent or grasping methods of dealing with food or with whatever satisfies an appetite.

a nation with a ravenous lust for territorial expansion

When is it sensible to use voracious instead of gluttonous?

The synonyms voracious and gluttonous are sometimes interchangeable, but voracious applies especially to habitual gorging with food or drink.

teenagers are often voracious eaters

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of gluttonous And there's history of the market going from existential panic to exhilarating audacity in a blink, such as when the 1998 near-bear market on hedge-fund blowups reversed to give way to the gluttonous risk binge of 1999. Michael Santoli, CNBC, 9 June 2025 And most importantly of all, gluttonous ticket prices have priced out the working classes. Tim Spiers, New York Times, 18 May 2025 Critics call it ‘gluttonous’ Not everyone was supportive of the idea of the trip before its Monday launch. Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025 Olivia Munn calls space flight with Katy Perry, Gayle King gluttonous The 40 best alien movies of all time Who is aboard the ship? Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gluttonous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gluttonous
Adjective
  • But the vast majority are cynical and greedy and scared of losing their jobs.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
  • A far cry from the mild-mannered Peter Parker in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films, Tully is an abusive, hot-headed, and greedy slime ball who leverages post-war desperation into a thriving criminal business.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
Adjective
  • Anyone who dared challenge the prevailing narrative faced the wrath of a ravenous cancel culture.
    David Oliver, USA Today, 22 July 2025
  • With all that room to cook, this gourmet grill can accommodate both ravenous solo diners or hungry families alike.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 July 2025
Adjective
  • Rogen lands a few funny lines, but the jokes mostly serve to distract from the point of the story: that freedom is ephemeral and easily corrupted, while humans are inherently piggish (as opposed to the other way around), seizing the first opportunity to take more than their share.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 June 2025
  • The merged generative AI model is bloated and runs extremely slowly, possibly so piggish that using it on everyday tasks is exasperating and imprudent due to enormous delays while processing.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Gluttonous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gluttonous. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on gluttonous

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