starvation
Americannoun
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of starvation
Explanation
Starvation is what happens if you don’t eat for days or weeks and your body starts to shut down. Extreme poverty, drought and other dire circumstances can contribute to starvation. Starvation can be the result of war or famine, leading to the deaths of large numbers of people. Any organism that depends on food for energy is at risk of starvation when there isn't enough to eat. Starvation is thought by some to have entered the language in 1775 during the American Revolution, when a member of the British Parliament suggested starvation as a way to make the American rebels submit.
Vocabulary lists containing starvation
Africa - Middle School
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Africa - High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Part 2 Vocabulary (Unit 1)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Starvation in Gaza today summons up my grandmother’s stories of how her family starved to death in the Warsaw ghetto.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 15, 2025
"Starvation was the worst thing… you eat the crumbs on the carpet," he says.
From BBC • Oct. 3, 2025
Starvation is not a looming threat; it is a brutal, daily reality.
From Salon • Aug. 3, 2025
Navy and Air Force ran a campaign officially called Operation Starvation, which blockaded the delivery of food to Japan.
From New York Times • Jan. 11, 2024
Starvation is not a pleasant way to expire.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
Definitions 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.
