hungry

USAGE SUMMARY

"hungry" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to describe a feeling of needing or wanting food, e.g., "I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse!".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Travel

Lifestyle

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Early on, back when Underwood was a hungry whip who'd stab his own grandmother if it would inch him closer to power, you'd see him indiscriminately spraying bullets around at clusters of enemies in Call of Duty.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

By Christmas morning there is a full stocking, an empty glass, a few crumbs and most of a carrot (for some reason Rudolph never seems to be very hungry).

The Guardian - Opinion

Since Friday lunchtime, when the Guardian broke the story that Sierra Leone's top 100-metre sprinter was sleeping rough and going hungry, thousands from all over the world have responded to his plight.

The Guardian

Losing £14 a week to the bedroom tax may not seem a lot to some people, but for others, she says, it will mean they go hungry.

The Guardian

"When I am hungry," Patricia says in her excellent English, "I feel like I want to go to sleep.

The Guardian

I said: "If you saw a woman with a hungry child, would you or wouldn't you help her?

The Guardian

Are you so horribly spoilt that you don't even know your few slaves, or such a fat cat that you own more slaves than you can possibly remember?" The problem, for Seneca, is not that owning slaves is bad for the slaves, or that the rich man's wealth might be better spent feeding the hungry than buying another ivory-legged table.

The Guardian - Books

The effects of such recent bloody history are ever-present in a country that's suddenly very young, orphaned and hungry.

The Guardian - Travel

The big things just weren't big enough to lure hungry travellers from the generic service stations and drive-through takeaway joints that dot the freeways today.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Stars on the menu No one goes to a restaurant in LA because they are hungry.

The Guardian - Travel

As ever, Spain can leave the dedicated vegetarian feeling hungry – even the plainest of mixed salads here will include fat chunks of tuna, "for flavour!" we were told.

The Guardian - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hungry" to describe a physical need for food. For figurative use, consider alternatives like "eager" or "thirsty" for knowledge or success.

Common error

Avoid using "hungry" excessively in figurative contexts when more precise adjectives like "eager", "ambitious", or "avid" would better convey the intended meaning. Be mindful of your word choice to ensure clarity and impact.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "hungry" is as an adjective, describing a state of needing or desiring food. Ludwig confirms its adjectival use. Examples show it modifying nouns like "child", "travelers", and "workers".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Lifestyle

20%

Travel

10%

Less common in

Sport

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Science

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hungry" functions primarily as an adjective to describe a need for food, but it can also extend to figurative meanings indicating a strong desire. It is versatile, commonly used across various registers from neutral news reports to informal lifestyle articles, as validated by Ludwig. While grammatically straightforward, users should be mindful of context to avoid overuse or misapplication in figurative senses. Ludwig also provides related phrases that offer alternative vocabulary for different levels of hunger or desire.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

famished

Implies a state of extreme hunger, more intense than simply "hungry".

starving

Similar to "famished", suggesting a severe lack of food.

ravenous

Describes an extreme and intense hunger.

peckish

Indicates a slight hunger, less intense than "hungry".

empty stomach

Focuses on the physical sensation of hunger.

craving food

Highlights the desire for food, rather than just the need.

feeling the need to eat

A more descriptive way of explaining the sensation of hunger.

needing sustenance

A more formal way of saying needing food or nourishment.

hankering for a meal

Expresses a strong desire or yearning for a meal.

underfed

Suggests a state of chronic hunger or insufficient nourishment.

FAQs

How can I use "hungry" in a sentence?

You can use "hungry" to describe the physical sensation of needing food, such as "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" or to describe a strong desire for something, like "She was "hungry for success"."

What can I say instead of "hungry" when I mean I want something?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "eager", "desirous", "avid", or "ambitious" to express a strong desire or craving for something other than food.

Which is correct, "hungry" or "hungered"?

"Hungry" is an adjective describing the state of needing food. "Hungered" is the past tense of the verb "hunger", meaning to feel a strong desire or need. For example, "I am hungry" versus "I hungered for knowledge".

What's the difference between "hungry" and "starving"?

"Hungry" indicates a general need for food, while "starving" implies a more severe and prolonged lack of food. "Starving" suggests a critical condition of extreme hunger and is a stronger term than "hungry".