devoured

past tense of devour
1
2
3
as in inhaled
to swallow or eat greedily the starving villagers simply devoured the relief food

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of devoured Their answer was the Armed Services Editions — hundreds of titles printed on cheap paper and handed out to GIs, who devoured them in their downtime. Nick Woltman, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2025 Bouncing off glossy metal, being devoured by voluptuous fabrics or pouring out of lamp heads, light is always a design star. The New York Times, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025 Later, India had another line drive that was devoured by Kauffman Stadium’s dimensions. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2025 The old economy still holds sway in a few places — legacy media companies that didn’t get devoured by the internet, film studios that remain flush with cash. Steven Kurutz, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 The company misled him about the cost of the loan, which was loaded with junk fees and devoured 60% of his paychecks. Mike Calhoun, Sun Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2025 It was explained to the passengers that a concentration of plankton had drawn swarms of small fish to the area; the concentration of small fish had attracted larger fish, which devoured the smaller fish; these predators attracted larger predators, to devour them. Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025 Welcome to The Shark Tank – also known as Rick Case Arena -- where NSU’s opponents get swarmed upon and devoured. Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025 In an early scene, he is set upon by a shrieking, skittering swarm of creepers—imagine giant, whitish pill bugs with huge mandibles—and expects to be devoured (and resurrected) within seconds. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devoured
Verb
  • Firefighters are also battling the Eaton Fire, which trails the Palisades Fire closely in size and has consumed at least 2,200 acres in northern Los Angeles County, as well as the smaller, newer Hurst and Woodley Fires.
    Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2025
  • The area quickly became consumed by flames Tuesday when high-speed Santa Ana winds created fire risks across parts of Southern California.
    Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • When ingested or inhaled, these microplastics can release these chemicals into the body, potentially leading to adverse health effects.
    Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The materials weren’t handled carefully, and toxic dust and mud were tracked throughout public spaces and streets in Corby — which expecting mothers inhaled.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • By this logic, reducing the time spent on task initiation can increase your overall productivity, with more time spent on actual work rather than task transitioning.
    Daniel Wendt, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
  • She’s spent over five years researching, reporting on, and writing about the beauty industry for publications like Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie.
    Adam Mansuroglu, WWD, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • He was hurt, he was exhausted and knew very well the odds of his Pittsburgh Penguins qualifying for the postseason were minimal at best.
    Josh Yohe, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
  • Fourteen years of war have left the country desolate, and its people exhausted; millions have been displaced or were forced to become refugees.
    Raghed Waked & Justin Salhani, The Dial, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Capitol and White House in Washington, DC were burned to the ground in the war.
    William Lambers, Hartford Courant, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days.
    Don Yaeger, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The final amount could be affected by two factors — the number of claims and how much of the settlement fund is reduced to cover legal fees and costs.
    CBS News, CBS News, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Liver damage can be reduced if the person stops drinking.
    George Petras, USA TODAY, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Modest renovations accomplished that goal — the space pulses with history and nostalgia as old photos hint at how, decades ago, neighbors ate and drank shoulder to shoulder here.
    Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 10 Apr. 2025
  • In testing, 75% of users ate a greater variety of plants than before using the app.
    Nicki Sprinz, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Devoured.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devoured. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on devoured

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!