thirst

American  

[thurst] / θɜrst /

noun

1. a sensation of dryness in the mouth and throat caused by need of liquid.

2. the physical condition resulting from this need, in any of various degrees.

   They almost died of thirst.

3. strong or eager desire; craving.

   a thirst for knowledge.

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verb (used without object)

1. to feel thirst; be thirsty.

2. to have a strong desire.

thirst British  

/ θɜːst /

noun

1. a craving to drink, accompanied by a feeling of dryness in the mouth and throat

2. an eager longing, craving, or yearning

   a thirst for knowledge

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verb

1. (intr) to feel a thirst

   to thirst for a drink

   to thirst after righteousness

Other Word Forms

• thirster noun
• unthirsting adjective

Etymology

Origin of thirst

before 900; Middle English thirsten (v.), Old English thyrstan, derivative of thurst (noun); cognate with Dutch dorst, German Durst, Old Norse thorsti, Gothic thaurstei; noun has -i- from the v. or from thirsty; toast ¹

Explanation

Thirst is the sensation of needing or wanting to drink something. Use the same word whether you're talking about your thirst for lemonade on a hot day or the dire thirst of someone lost in a desert without water. At its most serious, thirst can be compared to starvation: "The water shortage is leading to extreme thirst in the poorest parts of the country." You can also use this word for a much milder need, like your cousin's seemingly endless thirst for root beer. Figuratively, to thirst for something is to desire it strongly: "Her thirst for knowledge means she stays up late reading the encyclopedia."

Example Sentences

Dozens of sessions were held addressing how the gas sector can help satisfy AI's insatiable thirst for electricity, or how AI-driven software can, in turn, help the sector optimize its production.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Hopes that China’s thirst for foreign reds would return were dashed in May, when, as part of a continuing austerity drive, Beijing explicitly banned the consumption of alcohol at Chinese government and Communist Party events.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

When your investigation can be derailed by a thirst for retweets, it was never about truth in the first place.

From Salon • Feb. 27, 2026

"It's a blood sport, people do have a blood thirst to watch this sport," Malignaggi says.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

They set the arch-sinner in a pool in Hades, but whenever in his tormenting thirst he stooped to drink he could not reach the water.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Related Words

• appetite
• desire
• eagerness
• hankering
• hunger
• longing
• lust
• passion
• yearning