rabid

adjective

ra·​bid ˈra-bəd 

also

ˈrā- 

1

a

: extremely violent : furious

b

: going to extreme lengths in expressing or pursuing a feeling, interest, or opinion

rabid editorials

a rabid supporter

2

: affected with rabies

rabidity

rə-ˈbi-də-tē 

ra-

rā-

noun

rabidly

ˈra-bəd-lē 

 also  ˈrā-

adverb

rabidness noun

Synonyms

• extreme
• radical
• revolutionary
• fanatical

Examples of rabid in a Sentence

a politician with rabid supporters

Her husband is a rabid baseball fan.

Recent Examples on the Web

With Jenna Ortega starring and supported by a cast including Emma Myers, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán and Isaac Ordonez, the Netflix original series has garnered rabid fan obsession and introduced a new generation to the dark, and funny, Wednesday. —Madeleine Janz, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025

Our team is made up of rabid Shadowrun fans, and the French versions of Shadowrun books come with extra content like bonus chapters, adventures and errata. —Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025

While Mars itself is the subject of fascination and rabid speculation, Martians, as a species and concept, remain mostly an abstraction. —David Kamp, Air Mail, 23 Aug. 2025

It's since cultivated a rabid fandom with its story of Claire (Caitríona Balfe), an English nurse in 1945 who's magically transported back in time to 1743. —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin rabidus mad, from rabere

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

rabid

adjective

ra·​bid ˈrab-əd 

 also  ˈrā-bəd

1

: extremely violent : furious

2

: going to extreme lengths (as in interest or opinion)

rabid supporters

3

: affected with rabies

a rabid dog

rabidly adverb

Medical Definition

rabid

adjective

ra·​bid

ˈrab-əd also ˈrā-bəd

: affected with rabies

a rabid dog