feverish

adjective

fe·​ver·​ish ˈfe-vər-ish 

ˈfē-vrish

1

a

: tending to cause fever

b

: having the symptoms of a fever

c

: indicating or relating to fever

2

: marked by intense emotion, activity, or instability

feverish excitement

feverishly adverb

feverishness noun

Synonyms

• agitated
• excited
• frenzied
• heated
• hectic
• hyperactive
• overactive
• overwrought

Examples of feverish in a Sentence

She was feeling tired and feverish.

He had a feverish appearance.

Recent Examples on the Web

China has been churning out increasingly advanced warships at a feverish pace, often matching US carrier technology. —Edward Szekeres and Brad Lendon, CNN, 1 Nov. 2024

His dribbling especially - done at a feverish pace, as though the ball was attached to his foot with a short piece of string - had been a joy to watch. —Matias Grez, CNN, 22 Oct. 2024

Fans have taken to feverish discussion of the Jonathan question online since the film's Oct. 11 release. —EW.com, 17 Oct. 2024

The hype is already feverish — with even analysts who disagree on Tesla acknowledging the gravity of the moment. —Nathan Bomey, Axios, 10 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

feverish

adjective

fe·​ver·​ish ˈfēv-(ə-)rish 

1

a

: having a fever

b

: of, relating to, or being fever

c

: tending to cause fever

2

: showing great emotion or activity : hectic

feverish excitement

feverishly adverb

feverishness noun

Medical Definition

feverish

adjective

fe·​ver·​ish ˈfēv-(ə-)rish 

1

: showing symptoms indicating fever (as increased heat and thirst or delirium) : having a fever

the patient is feverish

specifically : abnormally hot

the child's forehead felt feverish

2

: of or indicating fever

a feverish condition

3

: infected with or tending to cause fever

a damp, feverish, unhealthy spot

—R. L. Stevenson