What does ravenously mean?
Ravenously is an adverb meaning intensely, eagerly, or with an enormous appetite. Its most familiar use describes eating: someone who is ravenously hungry consumes food quickly and eagerly. The word can also describe intense enthusiasm for an activity, as in listening ravenously to a lecture or reading ravenously through a novel. In these contexts, it suggests not merely speed or keen interest but a forcefulness that can border on being indiscriminate. “Ravenously” is more expressive and dramatic than “eagerly,” while “voraciously” is a close synonym that often places greater emphasis on consuming large amounts. The word is especially common in informal speech and vivid descriptive writing, and it appears frequently in phrases such as “eat ravenously” and “ravenously hungry.”
adverbWith an intense appetite or eagerness, especially in eating. It can also describe doing something with enthusiastic, almost voracious interest.
- With an intense appetite, especially in eating.
- With eager, enthusiastic, or almost frantic interest.
"The children ate the pizza ravenously."
"After the long hike, we ate our sandwiches ravenously."
"She listened ravenously to every detail of the story."
Ravenously shares its root with rapacious, rapacity, and rapine: all evoke the forceful seizing associated with Latin rapere, “to seize or plunder.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of ravenously
The adverb comes from the adjective “ravenous,” which was borrowed from Latin rapax, meaning “ravenous” or “grasping.” The Latin adjective is derived from rapere, “to seize, snatch, or plunder.” English later developed related forms such as “rapacious,” “rapacity,” and “rapine,” while “rapture” belongs to the same broader Latin root through the past participle raptus.
How ravenously is actually used
Informal in general use, though it is also common in journalism and descriptive writing. It conveys a degree of intensity stronger than simply eating quickly, and figuratively suggests enthusiastic, almost indiscriminate eagerness.