English Reference

Word

rabid

Phoneticsra·bid

US/ˈɹæbɪd/

UK/ɹˈeɪbɪd/

Definition

adj. having very strong, extreme, or angry feelings about a subject. It can also describe an animal that has a dangerous disease called rabies.

adj. characterised by extreme, fanatical, or irrational commitment to a belief or cause; also refers to being infected with the rabies virus. Often used to describe intense political or social attitudes.

Examples

“He is a rabid fan of the local football team.”

“The politician faced a crowd of rabid supporters who refused to listen to any opposing arguments.”

Examples

simple

“He is a rabid fan of the local football team.”

contextual

“The politician faced a crowd of rabid supporters who refused to listen to any opposing arguments.”

Usage

Can be used both attributively before a noun and predicatively after a linking verb.

Real-World Examples

“The CDC issued a health advisory on 10 September “in response to recent reports of increases in human exposures to rabid or possibly rabid animals”.”
The Guardian · 20 Sept 2026
“Summed up in a sentence Frenzied K-horror action from the director of Train to Busan traps a small group of the non-infected in a tower block swarming with rabid hive-mind zombies.”
The Guardian · 29 Aug 2026

Etymology

From the Latin rabidus, from rabiō (“to rave”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

rabidAdjectiverabiesNoun

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/rabid

English Reference