hunger

/ˈhʌŋgər/

/ˈhʌŋgə/

Other forms: hungered; hungering; hungers

Hunger is the sensation of needing — or wanting — to eat something. People use the same word to describe a hankering for a snack or for the more dire meaning of starvation, as in "world hunger."

Hunger sometimes refers to an extreme lack of food, the equivalent to starvation: "We need to do something about hunger in poor communities." It can also simply mean your afternoon craving: "My daily hunger for chocolate was distracting me from my work." You can also hunger for things, both food (like when you hunger for French fries) and non-food things (like when you hunger for attention).

Definitions of hunger

1. noun

   a physiological need for food; the consequence of food deprivation
   synonyms: hungriness

   types:

   bulimia, hyperphagia

   pathologically insatiable hunger (especially when caused by brain lesions)

   emptiness

   having an empty stomach

   edacity, esurience, ravenousness, voraciousness, voracity

   excessive desire to eat

   famishment, starvation

   a state of extreme hunger resulting from lack of essential nutrients over a prolonged period

   malnourishment, undernourishment

   not having enough food to develop or function normally

   type of:

   drive

   a physiological state corresponding to a strong need or desire
2. noun

   strong desire for something (not food or drink)
   “hunger for affection”

   synonyms: hungriness, thirst, thirstiness

   type of:

   desire

   an inclination to want things
3. verb

   feel the need to eat
   type of:

   ache, hurt, smart

   be the source of pain
4. verb

   be hungry; go without food
   synonyms: famish, starve

   type of:

   hurt, suffer

   feel pain or be in pain
5. verb

   have a craving, appetite, or great desire for
   synonyms: crave, lust, starve, thirst

   type of:

   desire, want

   feel or have a desire for; want strongly