What does starvation mean?
Starvation is the state of being deprived of the food needed for survival, often for long enough to cause serious illness or death. The word is more severe than hunger and describes not merely the wish for food but a dangerous shortage that threatens health and life. It is commonly used in reporting on famine, war, poverty, natural disasters, and public-health emergencies. Starvation can also be metaphorical, as in financial starvation or the starvation of a project of attention and resources. Because the term implies extreme deprivation, it is usually more appropriate in serious or documentary contexts than in casual descriptions of missed meals. Its historical and emotional force comes from the direct link it establishes between a lack of basic necessities and the destruction of human well-being.
nounThe condition of suffering or dying because there is not enough food. It can also refer to a severe and prolonged lack of something essential.
- The condition of suffering severe deprivation of food, potentially leading to illness or death.
- A severe or prolonged lack of an essential resource, such as funding or opportunity.
"The drought left thousands of families in conditions approaching starvation."
"Aid agencies reported that the region was facing widespread starvation after the harvest failed."
"The museum's project suffered from years of financial starvation, limiting its ability to preserve the collection."
Usually used as an uncountable noun, especially for the condition itself; the plural is uncommon but can distinguish separate cases or instances.
"The report documented the famines and starvations that followed the conflict."
Starvation is not simply hunger: it is the dangerous limit that hunger becomes when the body runs out of fuel.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does starvation come from?
Starvation was formed in English from the verb starve plus the Latinate suffix -ation, a combination that developed the noun from the idea of starving. The underlying verb comes from Old English and refers to dying or becoming weak from lack of food. Related English forms include starve, starving, and starved, while the modern noun has been established in English since the early modern period.
How starvation is actually used
Starvation is strongly formal and usually describes a serious condition rather than ordinary hunger. When used figuratively, it commonly appears in contexts involving money, attention, opportunity, or resources.
Easily confused with starvation
Starvation is the condition or result of being deprived of food, while starve is the verb describing that process or the act of suffering from it.