hunger
hunger — noun
1. the uncomfortable feeling inside your body that tells you it is time to eat.
the uncomfortable feeling inside your body that tells you it is time to eat.
After skipping lunch, a sharp hunger hit Justin around three o'clock.
collocation: sharp hunger for sudden intense need
The smell of fresh bread made Layla's hunger even harder to ignore.
Zola drank a glass of water to quiet her hunger while she waited for dinner.
Yael felt a sudden hunger after running for almost an hour.
- hungriness
a much less common, more clinical term for the same feeling
- appetite
the desire for food, often enjoyable rather than uncomfortable
文法句型
feel hunger
a hunger
hunger pangs
用法筆記
This sense is almost always uncountable, but 'a hunger' is possible when referring to a specific episode or type of hunger ('a hunger that would not go away').
常見錯誤
2. a dangerous situation in which there is not enough food for people or animals in
a dangerous situation in which there is not enough food for people or animals in a region, threatening their health.
The long war brought severe hunger to millions of families in the region.
collocation: severe hunger for extreme food shortage
Aid workers rushed food supplies to areas where hunger was worst.
During the drought, village children like Eli suffered months of hunger that stunted their growth.
The organisation fights hunger by providing meals to schoolchildren every day.
- famine
a widespread, extreme lack of food across a large region; more severe than hunger
- starvation
the state of suffering or dying from a severe lack of food
- malnutrition
poor health caused by not getting enough or the right kinds of food
- plenty
more than enough food for everyone
文法句型
suffer hunger
die of hunger
fight hunger
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense refers to a systemic or prolonged scarcity of food rather than a momentary bodily sensation. It is often used with verbs like 'suffer', 'die of', 'fight', 'end', or 'relieve'.
常見錯誤
3. a very strong wish for something that is not food — for example, a hunger for su
a very strong wish for something that is not food — for example, a hunger for success, knowledge, adventure, or justice.
Meera's hunger for knowledge led her to read every book she could find.
pattern: hunger for [abstract noun]
The young musician had an unusual hunger for new sounds and unfamiliar styles.
Bao's hunger to succeed pushed him through years of difficult training.
A hunger for justice drove the lawyer to take on cases that others refused.
- craving
a very strong, often physical desire; slightly more urgent and less dignified than hunger
- longing
a deep, emotional wish for something distant or lost; more sentimental
- thirst
a powerful desire, especially for more abstract things like knowledge or power
- yearning
a gentle but deep, persistent desire; more poetic in tone
- indifference
a lack of interest or concern
文法句型
hunger for [something]
a hunger to [verb]
a hunger for [thing]
用法筆記
This is a figurative extension of sense 1. It is commonly followed by 'for' + noun (hunger for power) or by a to-infinitive (hunger to prove oneself). It is less common with 'of' except in fixed literary phrases.
常見錯誤
hunger — verb
1. to feel the physical need to eat, or to go without food for a period of time.
to feel the physical need to eat, or to go without food for a period of time.
Anyone who works under the hot sun all morning will hunger for lunch by noon.
pattern: hunger + for + food (present tense, general truth)
The stray cats hungered in the cold winter streets with nowhere to go.
Darius had hungered many nights before the aid convoy finally arrived.
As a poor student, Liang would hunger through long lectures, too shy to eat in front of classmates.
- feast
to eat a large, enjoyable meal; opposite in both register and meaning
文法句型
hunger for [food]
hunger after [food]
用法筆記
The verb 'hunger' is much less common than the noun in everyday speech. For the physical sensation, 'be hungry' is the ordinary choice. 'Hunger' as a verb is found more in formal, literary, or news writing, and often with 'for' to specify what is needed.
常見錯誤
2. to want something very strongly and eagerly — often used for abstract goals such
to want something very strongly and eagerly — often used for abstract goals such as success, recognition, or change.
The young artist hungered for recognition from the art world.
pattern: hunger for [abstract noun]
People in the town hungered for news of their missing friends.
Élise hungered to prove that she could lead the research team.
Rafael hungered for a chance to show his true abilities.
- disdain
to regard something as unworthy of one's interest
文法句型
hunger for [something]
hunger to [verb]
hunger after [something]
用法筆記
This figurative verb sense mirrors noun sense 3. It takes 'for' before a noun phrase or a to-infinitive. It is formal or literary; in everyday English, 'long for', 'yearn for', or 'desperately want' are more common.
常見錯誤
3. to make a person or animal feel the need to eat — for example, physical activity
to make a person or animal feel the need to eat — for example, physical activity or the passing of time causing hunger.
Brandon was hungered by the long swim across the cold lake before noon.
passive: was hungered by [activity]
The cold mountain air hungered the travellers faster than any walk could.
The long wait at the hospital hungered Hugo and his wife far more than they expected.
Reading by candlelight deep into the night hungered the old scholar.
- make hungry
the modern, everyday equivalent of this rare transitive verb
- satisfy
to make someone feel full or no longer hungry
文法句型
hunger [someone]
be hungered by [something]
用法筆記
This is a rare, old-fashioned transitive use. In modern English, 'make [someone] hungry' is the ordinary alternative. You are most likely to encounter this sense in historical or literary texts from before the 20th century.