hangry
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of hangry
First recorded in 1915–20; h(ungry) ( def. ) + angry ( def. )
Explanation
When you notice you're in a grumpy mood and can't figure out why until your stomach begins to growl in hunger, it turns out that you're just hangry—or upset because you're hungry. Hangry is a playful term that combines the words "hungry" and "angry." It describes the grumpiness or irritability you feel when you need food right away. This feeling happens because your blood sugar drops, making you cranky and impatient. For example, you might become hangry if you miss lunch and have to wait too long for dinner. The word captures that mix of hunger and frustration perfectly, reminding us all to keep some snacks handy to avoid a hangry mood!
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.
Mahaffy, who starred in the exuberant revival of “A Man of No Importance” at A Noise Within last season, is more insistently peckish — hungry rather than hangry.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2025
It's infinitely memeable, lending itself to the classic contemporary apology, "I'm sorry for what I said when I was hangry."
From Salon • Feb. 13, 2023
Feeling hangry may also be a signal that other factors are ticking you off.
From Salon • Feb. 13, 2023
Alhadeff says calming hanger may have to do with our gut sense, as hangry neurons are just one of numerous connections between the gut and the brain.
From Washington Post • Dec. 13, 2022
Max looks tired, more tired than she did when she was hangry.
From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi
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.
