# starved

/ˈstɑɹvd/ (US) · /stˈɑːvd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/starved
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. very hungry

adjective · CEFR B1 · Informal

feeling extremely hungry, often used when you have missed a meal.

For teachers: feeling an urgent need for food; frequently used as a colloquial hyperbole for being very hungry.

- Is dinner ready yet? I'm absolutely starved.
- By the time the hikers reached the cabin, they were absolutely starved and immediately began preparing a massive meal.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'starved for' or 'starved of'.

Teaching tip: In everyday conversation, this is almost always an exaggeration rather than a medical description.

### 2. lacking something vital

adjective · CEFR B2

not getting enough of something you need, like love, attention, or news.

For teachers: deprived of a non-physical necessity or a specific type of stimulation.

- The lonely puppy was starved for attention and followed us everywhere.
- The remote village was starved of reliable information during the storm, leaving the residents to rely on local rumours.

Usage: Usually followed by the preposition 'of' or 'for'.

Teaching tip: Explain to students that 'starved for' usually implies a desire for the thing, while 'starved of' focuses on the lack itself.

### 3. suffering from hunger

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

suffering or dying because there is not enough food to eat.

For teachers: suffering from extreme poverty or lack of food; emaciated due to prolonged malnutrition.

- The charity provided medical care to the starved children in the refugee camp.
- The clinical report described the rescued animals as severely starved, requiring immediate intravenous fluids and specialized nutrition.

Teaching tip: This literal sense is much more serious and formal than the common informal use.

## Examples

- I am absolutely starved after that long hike.
- The neglected plants looked starved for water after the long, dry summer heatwave.
- In an era of constant digital noise, many people feel starved for genuine human connection and quiet reflection, leading to a rise in mindfulness retreats.

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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.