1
as in hungry
feeling a desire or need for food
after a full day of skiing, I was feeling absolutely famished
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
a group of local citizens working to ease the plight of the famished families in their community
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of famished
None of this perturbed Schwarzenegger, who was a famously quick study, almost lupine in his famished eagerness to learn, trading weight-lifting tips with his distinguished co-star James Earl Jones in return for actorly advice.
—
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
On the outskirts of Wollongong, waking at dawn from its 20-hour nap, a famished, branch-hugging koala stretched its claw skyward for a fat, juicy green eucalyptus leaf.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2024
Her eyes, so Mesopotamian, now overwhelmed her famished face.
—Junot Díaz, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023
In Jamaica, new arrivals were so famished and overworked that about half of them died within two or three years, said Vincent Brown, a history professor at Harvard.
—David Segal, New York Times, 8 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for famished
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
On the outskirts of Wollongong, waking at dawn from its 20-hour nap, a famished, branch-hugging koala stretched its claw skyward for a fat, juicy green eucalyptus leaf.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2024
Her eyes, so Mesopotamian, now overwhelmed her famished face.
—Junot Díaz, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023
In Jamaica, new arrivals were so famished and overworked that about half of them died within two or three years, said Vincent Brown, a history professor at Harvard.
—David Segal, New York Times, 8 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for famished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for famished
Adjective
-
People are hungry for the retelling of the old stories.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Outsmart hungry deer with this stunning plant collection featuring bold blooms and elegant foliage.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Many people, especially those of us raised in impoverished (in the widest sense of the word) environments, spend their twenties banging their heads against a wall.—
Jane Ciabattari
August 19,
Literary Hub,
19 Aug. 2025
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As with many of his innovations and creations, the inspiration for his unbreakable porcelain came from his impoverished childhood.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The White House disputes the prediction, arguing the Congressional Budget Office is a poor predictor of outcomes.—
Jessie Opoien,
jsonline.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
The Philadelphia Phillies released reliever Joe Ross on Tuesday due to poor performances.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The phone calls are like guerrilla attacks: her mother is broke and wants the house in Napanee.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Aug. 2025
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Back then, when a team went broke, finding a new place for it was hard.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Famished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/famished. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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