thirstier; thirstiest
1
a
: feeling thirst
hungry and thirsty
b
: deficient in moisture : parched
thirsty land/soil
c
: highly absorbent
thirsty towels
d
: causing thirst
thirsty work
2
a
: having a strong desire for something : avid
thirsty for knowledge
b
informal : feeling or showing a strong desire for attention, approval, or publicity (as on social media)
… the brands did what was inevitable: They began to tweet about the question, hoping to grab some of that attention for their own. For a thirsty brand, the only thing better than April Fools' Day is a hugely viral meme.Abby Ohlheiser
thirstiness noun

Examples of thirsty in a Sentence

The salty food was making her thirsty. struggling to survive in that hot and thirsty climate
Recent Examples on the Web Today, venture firms are as thirsty and image conscious as their portfolio companies. Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024 Regardless of these guidelines, the best indicators of adequate hydration are rarely feeling thirsty and having light yellow urine. Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 Island staff were even walking around with Champagne water guns, shooting right into the mouths of thirsty guests. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 28 Feb. 2024 Local must-visits include the heritage Severn Valley Railway and Elgar’s home, The Firs, while thirsty cyclists can tour orchards along the gorgeous Cider and Perry Trail. Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Jan. 2024 Turns out thirsty squirrels killed those plants in 2020 while digging up roots for moisture. Christopher Helman, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Part of the blame lies with thirsty natives: Just shy of 60 percent of Spanish wine is drunk domestically. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 19 Feb. 2024 Trees tend to be much thirstier than the plants generally adapted for semi-arid grasslands, and planting them can pull precious water out of the system. Popular Science, 15 Feb. 2024 Electricity-hungry data centers, EVs, and household heat pumps are all thirsty for power. Larry Light, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thirsty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English thirsti, thursty, þristi, going back to Old English þurstig, þyrstig, from þurst thirst entry 1 + -ig -y entry 1 (with parallel formations in Middle Dutch dorstich, Old High German durstac, tursteg)

First Known Use

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

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

Dictionary Entries Near thirsty

Cite this Entry

“Thirsty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thirsty. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

thirsty

adjective
thirstier; thirstiest
1
a
: feeling thirst
b
: needing moisture
thirsty land
2
: having a strong desire
thirsty for knowledge
thirstily
-stə-lē
adverb

Medical Definition

thirsty

adjective
thirstier; thirstiest
: feeling thirst

More from Merriam-Webster on thirsty

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