famished

American  

[fam-isht] / ˈfæm ɪʃt /

adjective

1. extremely hungry: famished multitudes in the immediate postwar period.

   to be famished after a hike;

   famished multitudes in the immediate postwar period.

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Synonym Usage

See hungry.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• half-famished
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of famished

First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English; famish + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

Did you just order a double cheeseburger with large fries and a liter-sized milkshake? Either you have a death wish or you're extremely hungry — famished that is. Tracing the roots of famished leads us to the Middle English word for "starve." So it's no wonder famished means absolutely starving or totally ravenous. Just think of all those poor famished people in the Middle Ages, with only porridge and vegetables to eat and not a fast food chain in sight. It's enough to make you cry...or reach for another french fry — depending on how famished you are.

Example Sentences

Now, the whales are so famished they are increasingly looking for food along the way, he said, including in the San Francisco Bay.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

"At dinner, overindulgence doesn't happen because you don’t come to the table famished," she added.

From Salon • Jul. 23, 2024

The district ranger was expecting the crew at his ranger station, so he and his wife treated the famished smokejumpers to a chicken dinner, ice cream and apple pie when they emerged from the backcountry.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 9, 2023

Forty-two people — and let’s not forget they’re people — arrived in downtown Los Angeles, presumably famished as well as frightened after a 23-hour bus ride with starvation rations.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2023

After weeks of feeling too worried to eat, I'm famished.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins