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
• extremist
• fanatic
• fanatical
• radical
• revolutionary
• revolutionist
• ultra

Examples of rabid in a Sentence

a politician with rabid supporters

Her husband is a rabid baseball fan.

Recent Examples on the Web

Yes, Blackhawks fans have always been a rabid bunch — the Standbys Club being a perfect example. —Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025

The Pacers had taken several of the Thunder’s best runs and their rabid defensive pressure and inverted it. —Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 14 June 2025

After almost over a year connected to Trump at the hip, spending hundreds of millions on his 2024 campaign and charging through the federal government’s inner sanctums like a rabid bull in a China shop, Musk truly went full Little Boy and Fat Man. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 5 June 2025

Instead of immediately attempting to call off his rabid supporters, Trump sat on his hands as his supporters stormed the Capitol—even as members of his own party urged him to help. —Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 14 Apr. 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