rave

¹ American  

[reyv] / reɪv /

verb (used without object)

raved, raving

1. to talk wildly, as in delirium.

   Synonyms:

   rhapsodize, gush, enthuse, storm, rant, rage, jabber, babble

2. to talk or write with extravagant enthusiasm.

   She raved about her trip to Europe.

3. (of wind, water, storms, etc.) to make a wild or furious sound; rage.

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verb (used with object)

raved, raving

1. to utter as if in madness.

noun

1. an act of raving.

2. an extravagantly enthusiastic appraisal or review of something.

3. a dance party featuring electronic dance music arranged by a disc jockey and a light show or other visual effects, and typically characterized by amphetamine and psychedelic drug use.

   They have these all-night raves in a field just outside the city limits.

4. British Informal. a boisterous party, especially a dance.

   We hung pretty party lights and invited everyone who lived in the building to our rooftop rave.

adjective

1. extravagantly flattering or enthusiastic.

   rave reviews of a new play.

rave ² American  

[reyv] / reɪv /

noun

1. a vertical sidepiece of a wagon or other vehicle.

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rave ¹ British  

/ reɪv /

verb

1. to utter (something) in a wild or incoherent manner, as when mad or delirious

2. (intr) to speak in an angry uncontrolled manner

3. (intr) (of the sea, wind, etc) to rage or roar

4. informal (intr; foll by over or about) to write or speak (about) with great enthusiasm

5. slang (intr) to enjoy oneself wildly or uninhibitedly

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noun

1. informal

   1. enthusiastic or extravagant praise

   2. ( as modifier )

      a rave review

2. slang

   1. Also called: rave-up.  a party

   2. a professionally organized party for young people, with electronic dance music, sometimes held in a field or disused building

3. slang a fad or fashion

   the latest rave

4. a name given to various types of dance music, such as techno, that feature fast electronic rhythm

rave ² British  

/ reɪv /

noun

1. a vertical sidepiece on a wagon

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rave Idioms  

1. see rant and rave; stark raving mad.

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Other Word Forms

• raver
  noun

Etymology

Origin of rave¹

First recorded in 1325–75; 1915–25 rave ¹ for def. 2; 1960–65 rave ¹ for def. 8; 1985–90 rave ¹ for def. 7; Middle English verb raven, probably from Middle French resver “to wander, be delirious”; further origin uncertain

Origin of rave²

First recorded in 1520–30; origin obscure; probably an alteration of dialect rathe “rail or shaft on a cart”

Explanation

If you rave about a book you just read, you're telling people you think it's great, or you're giving it a rave review. Rave has two levels, one that implies you're very excited about something and the other that you are too excited, so you seem crazy. While raving about a movie means to talk it up, being a raving lunatic means you are engaging in a lot of crazy talk. When you rave about a performance, you talk enthusiastically about it. Take that enthusiastic talking to the next level, and you might be called raving in the crazy sense.

Example Sentences

I noticed that many people I know who use this company rave about how much they love their adviser, even though they often know very little about investing themselves.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

Meanwhile the independent producing company Raw Material will launch a new hip hop musical about William Wallace this autumn, having started the year with Scots the Musical, a satirical rave through Scottish history in song.

From BBC • May 24, 2026

This is the frontier of esports-style live trading competitions, a high-octane subculture that feels like an underground rave.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

But as it bent into a remix of “Provenza,” Karol hit on a classic Coachella denoument—the fireworks—exploding, hands-up rave anthem to end the night.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

The recruit starts to rave again and two others follow suit.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

Related Words

• babble
• freak out
• fume
• go crazy
• rant