athirst

adjective

ə-ˈthərst How to pronounce athirst (audio)
Synonyms of athirstnext
1
archaic : thirsty
2
: having a strong eager desire
I that for ever feel athirst for glory—John Keats

Synonyms

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Choose the Right Synonym for athirst

eager, avid, keen, anxious, athirst mean moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest.

eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint.

eager to get started

avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

Examples of athirst in a Sentence

was athirst for any news at all about family members serving in the war zone

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English ofthyrst, past participle of ofthyrstan to suffer from thirst, from of off, from + thyrstan to thirst — more at of

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of athirst was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near athirst

Athiorhodaceae

athirst

athleisure

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Athirst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/athirst. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

athirst

adjective
ə-ˈthərst How to pronounce athirst (audio)
: eager
athirst for knowledge
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