# hungry

/ˈhəŋɡɹi/ (US) · /hˈʌŋɡɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hungry
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. needing food

adjective · CEFR A1

feeling that you want or need to eat food.

For teachers: feeling or displaying the physiological need for food.

- The children were very hungry after playing outside all afternoon.
- By the time the delayed flight finally landed, the passengers were visibly hungry and frustrated with the lack of service.

Usage: Commonly follows the verb 'to be' or 'to feel'.

### 2. wanting something strongly

adjective · CEFR B2

having a strong desire for something, like success or power.

For teachers: having a strong or eager desire; showing ambition or a craving for something non-physical.

- The young athlete is hungry for a gold medal this year.
- The company is looking for hungry new graduates who are willing to work hard to climb the corporate ladder.

Usage: Often followed by the preposition 'for'.

### 3. poor or thin

adjective · CEFR C2 · Literary

describing land that is not good for growing plants because it lacks nutrients.

For teachers: referring to soil or land that is infertile, poor in nutrients, or unproductive.

- The farmers struggled to grow crops in the hungry, stony soil.
- The landscape was dominated by hungry moorland that offered little sustenance for the local livestock.

Teaching tip: This sense is rare in modern conversation; it is mostly found in older literature or specific agricultural contexts.

## Examples

- I am very hungry after my long walk.
- The children were hungry after playing outside all afternoon, so they finished their dinner quickly.
- The documentary highlights the plight of families in regions where millions of people remain hungry due to systemic food insecurity and prolonged drought.

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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.