Hungry

Hungry describes the physiological or psychological state of wanting or needing to eat. It is a basic survival mechanism, a primal drive indicating the body requires nourishment to function. Hunger can manifest physically with stomach contractions, a gnawing feeling, weakness, or irritability. Psychologically, it can involve cravings for specific foods and a preoccupation with the thought of eating. Hunger can range from a mild desire for a snack to intense starvation, impacting mood, energy levels, and cognitive function. The experience of hunger is influenced by factors like activity level, metabolism, and the availability of food, and it should not be confused with appetite, which is the desire to eat often spurred by external cues such as sight or smell.

Hungry meaning with examples

• After skipping breakfast and a long morning hike, Liam was ravenously hungry. His stomach rumbled constantly, and he could think of nothing else but the hearty lunch that awaited him back at camp. He craved a burger, fries, and a chocolate milkshake, his hunger a relentless force urging him forward and reminding him that eating will improve his well being. The only thing he wanted was to be full.
• The children, having played all afternoon in the park, were vociferously hungry. Their cries and complaints resonated with a longing for the evening meal, a simple pasta with meatballs that their parents had promised. Their hunger was so intense they could not focus on their homework, they paced in circles hoping that the meal would materialize soon and their parents noticed their hunger.
• The hiker, lost in the wilderness for days, experienced a profound and debilitating hunger. Every fiber of his being cried out for food, his body weakened by the lack of sustenance. He scoured the surrounding environment, searching for any edible plants or animals that could alleviate his gnawing emptiness and possibly save his life in this dreadful predicament. This hunger was no longer a mild desire, it was a desperate plea for survival.
• Despite having eaten a large dinner, the teenager was already feeling strangely Hungry before bed. The seemingly insatiable appetite was likely fueled by the rapid growth spurts of his adolescent body. He opened the fridge, his stomach urging him towards the leftovers from the evening meal, in an attempt to sate the hunger. He knew if he kept going on like this it would be like having a bottomless pit.
• The struggling artist, consumed by his creative process, often forgot to eat, only realizing how Hungry he was when the waves of weakness and faintness began to overwhelm him. He would then quickly grab some nuts or cheese that he could eat to avoid more intense hunger, that interfered with his ability to focus. His periods of intense artistic productivity were often followed by periods of extreme hunger.