hunger strike

¹ American  

noun

1. a deliberate refusal to eat, undertaken in protest against imprisonment, improper treatment, objectionable conditions, etc.

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hunger-strike ² American  

[huhng-ger-strahyk] / ˈhʌŋ gərˌstraɪk /

verb (used without object)

hunger-struck, hunger-striking

1. to go on a hunger strike.

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hunger strike British  

noun

1. a voluntary fast undertaken, usually by a prisoner, as a means of protest

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Other Word Forms

• hunger striker noun

Etymology

Origin of hunger strike¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Origin of hunger-strike²

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

Activists say some family members of those imprisoned in the facility have gone on hunger strike to demand the release of their relatives.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026

The doctor, Arreaza, said he had been denied permission to go inside to check on the prisoners, and it was not clear whether any of them were also on hunger strike.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

Last year, Kaiser mental health workers held a hunger strike in Los Angeles to demand that the healthcare provider improve its mental health services and patient care.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

It wasn’t until he went on a hunger strike that his right to legal representation was granted.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2026

Paul had spent five weeks in jail; she had been on a hunger strike for twenty-two days.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Related Words

• fasting