# stay hungry

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/stay-hungry
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To maintain a strong motivation to achieve or compete; to avoid complacency.

## Examples

- You must stay hungry if you want to succeed in this career.
- Even after winning the championship, the coach told his players they needed to stay hungry to win again next year.
- Despite reaching the pinnacle of his profession, he continued to stay hungry, constantly seeking new challenges to avoid the trap of complacency.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.