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Meaning & use

thirsty

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈθɜːsti/
US/ˈθɜːrsti/

Meanings

  1. adjectivenot comparable

    Feeling a need or desire to drink something.

    Grammar: Used after linking verbs like be, feel, get, or look: I feel thirsty.

    Patterns

    • be thirsty
    • feel thirsty
    • get thirsty
    • make someone thirsty

    After running in the sun, I was really thirsty.

    The salty soup made everyone thirsty.

    She felt thirsty and asked for a glass of water.

  2. adjectivenot comparablefigurative

    Having a strong desire or craving for something.

    Grammar: Often followed by for: thirsty for power; can also be used before a noun: a thirsty crowd.

    Patterns

    • thirsty for something
    • thirsty for success
    • thirsty for knowledge

    The young athlete was thirsty for success.

    After years of isolation, she was thirsty for friendship.

    The company is thirsty for new ideas.

Word forms

comparativethirstier
superlativethirstiest

Common combinations

thirsty for
The students were thirsty for knowledge.
feel thirsty
I always feel thirsty after a long flight.
get thirsty
You'll get thirsty if you talk too much.
make someone thirsty
The spicy food made us thirsty.
thirsty work
Digging the garden is thirsty work.

Synonyms and how they differ

parched
Much stronger and more informal; suggests extreme dryness, as in 'I'm parched.'
dehydrated
A medical or technical term meaning the body lacks water; not used for simple desire for a drink.
eager
Focuses on keenness rather than craving; you can be eager to start but not thirsty for success.

Opposites

quenchedsatisfied

Word family

thirst noun
The feeling of needing to drink, or a strong desire.
thirstily adverb
In a way that shows a strong need to drink.
thirstiness noun
The state of being thirsty.

Commonly confused: thirsty or hungry?

thirsty vs hungry

Hungry is about needing food; thirsty is about needing drink. You can be both at once.

Practice

After the long hike, we were all ___ for a cold drink.

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