famished
Americanadjective
Synonym Usage
See hungry.
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing famished
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The Diary of Anne Frank
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Plus, I was famished with the kind of hunger that accompanies the dissipating stress after leaving the dentist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
The famished whales are increasingly seeking food in the San Francisco Bay, a bustling shipping area, making them vulnerable to vessel traffic.
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
Most people would be okay with that; I mean, those famished angels being sent from God and all.
From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
