rave

1 of 2

verb

ˈrāv 

raved; raving

intransitive verb

1

a

: to talk irrationally in or as if in delirium

b

: to speak out wildly

c

: to talk with extreme enthusiasm

raved about its beauty

2

: to move or advance violently : storm

the iced gusts still rave and beat

—John Keats

transitive verb

: to utter in madness or frenzy

rave

2 of 2

noun

1

: an act or instance of raving

2

: an extravagantly favorable criticism

the play received the critics' raves

3

: a large overnight dance party featuring techno music and usually involving the taking of mind-altering drugs

Synonyms

Verb

• drool
• effuse
• enthuse
• fuss
• gush
• rhapsodize
• slobber

Noun

• acclamation
• applause
• cheer
• cheering
• ovation
• plaudit(s)
• réclame

Examples of rave in a Sentence

Verb

“It's his best performance yet,” raved one movie critic.

The guy on the corner was raving like a madman.

The coach ranted and raved at the referee.

Noun

Her review of the movie was a rave.

the books have received even more raves from parents than from the kids they were written for

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Madewell Lightweight Ponte Straight-leg Jumpsuit Shoppers can’t get enough of this universally flattering jumpsuit for everything on their agenda, with one customer raving over the versatility and overall fit of this timeless staple. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2024

McCord took to the comments section to rave about Cipriani. —Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1765, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rave

• rave review

Kids Definition

rave

1 of 2 verb

ˈrāv 

raved; raving

1

: to talk wildly as if crazy

2

: to talk with great enthusiasm

raved about the new play

raver noun

rave

2 of 2 noun

: a statement of enthusiastic praise