Starved: meaning, definitions and examples

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starved

[ stɑːvd ]

^{Context #1}

feeling hungry

suffer or die or cause to suffer or die from hunger

Synonyms

famished, hungry, malnourished, underfed

Examples of usage

He was starved for three days before they found him.
The children were starved for attention.
The baby starved to death because her parents neglected her.
We cannot let the refugees starve, we must provide them with food.
Many animals were starved during the drought.

^{Context #2}

depriving of something essential

deprive of basic necessities

Synonyms

deny, deplete, deprive, withhold

Examples of usage

The dictator starved the people of their freedom.
The company starved its employees of proper working conditions.
The government's policies are starving the healthcare system of resources.
They are being starved of the funding needed to continue their research.
The lack of rain is starving the crops of much-needed water.

^{Context #3}

extremely hungry

suffering from lack of food

Synonyms

famished, hungry, malnourished, undernourished

Examples of usage

The starved child eagerly ate the meal in front of him.
The rescue team found the dog in a starved condition.
She looked at the starved beggar with pity in her eyes.
His body was emaciated, a clear sign that he had been starved for weeks.
The starved refugees finally received some much-needed food.

Translations

Translations of the word "starved" in other languages:

🇵🇹 faminto

🇮🇳 भूखा

🇩🇪 verhungert

🇮🇩 kelaparan

🇺🇦 голодний

🇵🇱 głodny

🇯🇵 飢えた

🇫🇷 affamé

🇪🇸 hambriento

🇹🇷 aç

🇰🇷 굶주린

🇸🇦 جائع

🇨🇿 hladový

🇸🇰 hladný

🇨🇳 饥饿

🇸🇮 lačen

🇮🇸 svangur

🇰🇿 аш

🇬🇪 შიმშილი

🇦🇿 ac

🇲🇽 hambriento

Word origin

The word 'starved' originated from the Old English word 'steorfan' meaning 'to die'. Over time, it evolved to mean 'to suffer or die from hunger'. The adjective form 'starved' came from the Old English 'steorfan' as well, with the sense of 'suffering from lack of food'. The figurative usage of 'starved' to mean 'depriving of something essential' emerged later, reflecting the idea of being deprived of basic necessities.