crave
Americanverb (used with object)
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craves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
craved,
past participle, past
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craving
present participle
-
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)
-
craves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
craved,
past participle, past
-
craving
present participle
verb
-
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:
Many prime ministers arriving in office between general elections crave their own mandate.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
The crab curry is so delicious and they do these street food sausages that we crave.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
Midshipmen crave occasional breaks from thinking about school, if they have breaks at all.
From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026
Organizers and instructors in major U.S. cities say they’re seeing increased interest post-pandemic among Generation Z and millennials, who crave in-person, screen-free experiences.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
Lord knows after thirty years I still crave your forgiveness, but who are you?
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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
Someone who places lots of bets using prediction-market apps craves instant gratification.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
Yet David craves Monica’s maternal affection as if he were real — and for all intents and purposes, he is.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
I’m not the only one who craves this state.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
"Mormont craves a royal pardon," Lord Renly re-minded them.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
I had craved that moment for my entire life.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
On Saturday, Belfast's Agyarko gets the opportunity he has craved since first lacing up the gloves when he faces IBF light-middleweight champion Josh Kelly in Saudi Arabia.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
He’d had his first child and craved a more regular schedule.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Honestly, I hung in through the rather slow opening of this season in large part because I craved the catharsis of seeing it all work out in the end.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
If Samuel craved realism and activity, he got it.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Kelly finds the public’s current craving for unique genre storytelling encouraging, but feels that like most trends, it may be doomed to impermanence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
“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
“Pulled your late-night comfort picks,” it explained, “the usual craving fix when you order after dark.”
From Salon ● 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
My stomach rumbles, and I suddenly have a craving for chicken curry.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
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.
