a feeling of pain, emptiness, or weakness induced by lack of food an appetite, desire, need, or craving: hunger for power
- (intr; usually followed by for or after)
to have a great appetite or desire (for)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
hun•ger /ˈhʌŋgɚ/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- a strong need or desire for food:The meal should satisfy his hunger.
- the painful sensation or state of weakness caused by the need of food:to collapse from hunger.
- a shortage of food;
famine:a concert to aid the fight against hunger. - a strong desire or craving for anything;
lust:his hunger for power.
v.
- to have a strong desire: [~ + for + object]They hungered for justice.[~ + after + object]He hungered after power.
hun•ger
(hung′gər),USA pronunciation n.
v.i.
v.t.
hun′ger•ing•ly, adv.
- a compelling need or desire for food.
- the painful sensation or state of weakness caused by the need of food:to collapse from hunger.
- a shortage of food;
famine. - a strong or compelling desire or craving:hunger for power.
- Idioms from hunger, [Slang.]deplorably bad;
dreadful:The styles in coats this winter are from hunger.Also, strictly from hunger.
v.i.
- to feel hunger;
be hungry. - to have a strong desire.
v.t.
- Slang Terms[Rare.]to subject to hunger;
starve.
- bef. 900; Middle English; Old English hungor; cognate with German Hunger
- 4. appetite, greed, lust, itch.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'hunger for' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):