devour

verb

de·​vour di-ˈvau̇(-ə)r 

dē-

devoured; devouring; devours

transitive verb

1

: to eat up greedily or ravenously

devoured the turkey and mashed potatoes

2

: to use up or destroy as if by eating

We are devouring the world's resources.

3

: to prey upon

devoured by guilt

4

: to enjoy avidly

devours books

devourer noun

Synonyms

• consume
• eat (up)

Examples of devour in a Sentence

He devoured everything on his plate.

The lions devoured their prey.

She devoured every golf magazine she could find.

He watched intently, devouring the scene before him with his eyes.

Recent Examples on the Web

But even the most majestic of pumpkins inevitably meets the same fate: devoured by livestock, and returned to the earth. —Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2024

Weaving compares Frank to Saturn devouring his sons, the classical myth where a Titan eats his young to prevent them from replacing him. —Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Oct. 2024

McDonald’s $5 meal deal is staying on menus until December, likely a sign that inflation-weary customers are devouring it. —Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 3 Oct. 2024

Wednesday’s findings are the fire department's most complete picture of what unfolded on Aug. 8, 2023, when a ravenous fire spread from the hills above Lahaina, once the capital of Hawaii, and devoured nearly everything in its path. —Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 2 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French devour-, stem of devorer, from Latin devorare, from de- + vorare to devour — more at voracious

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

devour

verb

de·​vour di-ˈvau̇(ə)r 

1

: to eat up greedily or hungrily

devoured everything on his plate

2

: to use up or destroy as if by eating

fire devoured the barn

3

: to enjoy eagerly

devour a book