crave
Americanverb (used with object)
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craves,
present (3rd person singular)
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craved,
past participle, past
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craving
present participle
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to long for; want greatly; desire eagerly.
to crave sweets; to crave affection.
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to require; need.
a problem craving prompt attention.
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to ask earnestly for (something); beg for.
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to ask (a person) earnestly for something or to do something.
verb (used without object)
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craves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
craved,
past participle, past
-
craving
present participle
verb
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to desire intensely; long (for)
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(tr) to need greatly or urgently
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(tr) to beg or plead for
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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cravesimple
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cravessimple
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have cravedperfect
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has cravedperfect
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am cravingprogressive
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are cravingprogressive
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is cravingprogressive
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have been cravingperfect progressive
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has been cravingperfect progressive
Past
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cravedsimple
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had cravedperfect
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was cravingprogressive
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were cravingprogressive
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had been cravingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of crave
First recorded before 1000; Middle English craven, Old English crafian; akin to Old Norse krefja “to demand, lay claim to”
Explanation
To crave something is to have a great desire for it, as one might crave love, fame, or French fries. Crave is typically used in the context of emotional or physical desires rather than practical needs. For example, most people crave a hug or a cup of hot cocoa every now and then, but it’s unusual to crave a new filing cabinet or tie rack — although if that’s how you feel, don’t let us interfere. Interestingly, crave comes from an Old English word meaning “demand.” Perhaps our ancestors were more assertive about getting what they wanted.
Vocabulary lists containing crave
Vocabulary from Beyoncé's "Lemonade"
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Instead of "Said": Words for Asking and Offering
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The Balcony Scene from "Romeo and Juliet"
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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.
See Examples For:
Following the FBI duo as they search for a missing colleague, Carter’s director’s cut is for the most staunch sci-fi fans, those who crave every little bit of “X-Files” lore they can get.
From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026
You know, exactly the sort of light fare sports fans crave in summer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
It acts on receptors in the brain that control appetite, making people feel fuller, less hungry and crave food less.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
The crab curry is so delicious and they do these street food sausages that we crave.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
“I crave pardon; neb Goldsmith, for coming late. I could not help it. I—I carried an offering to my father’s tomb.”
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Good thing the Chargers’ new play-caller craves adversity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Bernard Yaros, lead US economist at Oxford Economics, told AFP that while the market craves more from Warsh, he's unlikely to provide it.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
He’s never uninteresting, plays to the crowd and craves all the noise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Someone who places lots of bets using prediction-market apps craves instant gratification.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
"For allowing this to happen. Everyone craves security. But gaining freedom means losing security."
From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Its “assemblage of worldviews” was something young people craved, even if they didn’t know it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Soy conquered America not because Americans craved the bean, but because it was remarkably versatile.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
And an absolute bummer for me and anyone else who really craved some Saturday night Schadenfreude.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
It is the kind of week they craved 12 months ago.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
I longed for that, for feeling absolutely nothing, and then I realized that was what my mom craved too.
From "Shelter (Book One): A Mickey Bolitar Novel" by Harlan Coben
“I don’t have a great sense of whether he understands how much the market is craving that kind of information.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
After games, watch out for the players craving french fries at Newbury Park and knowing someone to seek out who can help.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
“They just lose the craving, the desire for food,” said Bob Nolan, Conagra’s senior vice president of growth science.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
It had, in other words, the certainty of a craving and the vagueness of a dream.
From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026
That craving to be seen and go unnoticed at the same time.
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
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.
