Devouring
/dɪˈvɔːrɪŋ/
verbadjectiveB2present participle
Definition
Devouring means to eat food very quickly and with great hunger or strong desire. It can also mean to use or destroy something completely, like devouring a book means reading it quickly and with great interest. The word shows strong action and energy.
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See It in Action
To eat food quickly and eagerly
- •The wolf was devouring its prey in the forest.
- •She was devouring her dinner after a long day.
- •The children devoured the cake at the party.
To read or watch something with great interest and quickly
- •He devoured the novel in just two days.
- •She devoured every episode of the new series.
- •They devoured the news about the big event.
To use up or destroy something completely
- •The fire was devouring the dry forest fast.
- •The company's resources were being devoured by poor management.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "devouring" like "eating," but much faster and with more hunger or excitement.
- ✓Picture a hungry animal quickly eating its food without stopping.
- ✓It's the feeling when you are very hungry or very interested in something and want it all at once.
- ✓Sounds like "dee-VOR-ing" → imagine a big mouth opening wide to eat a lot fast.
- ✓Think of a lion devouring its meal or someone devouring a thrilling novel in one day.
- ✓NOT like "nibbling" (small, slow bites), devouring is fast and full.
- ✓NOT like "reading" calmly, devouring a book means reading it quickly and with strong interest.
- ✓NOT like "using" something slowly, devouring means using it up fast and completely.
Try Other Words
- •Consuming: using up something completely (Use when talking about using resources or energy rather than food)
- •Gobbling: eating quickly and noisily (Use when emphasizing fast and loud eating)
- •Absorbing: taking in information fully (Use when talking about mental attention, like reading or learning)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "de-" (intensive or down) + root "vour" from Latin "vorare" meaning to swallow or eat + suffix "-ing" (present participle)
- •Etymology: From Latin "devorare," meaning to swallow or eat up quickly and completely
- •Historical development: Used since Middle English to describe strong eating or destruction by eating
- •Modern usage: Used for fast, eager eating or strong mental attention like reading or watching
Reflect & Connect
•When have you felt like devouring something, either food or information? What made you feel that way?
•How can devouring be both positive (like enjoying a book) and negative (like destroying resources)?
Fill in the blanks
1.After a long hike, she was devouring her meal because she was very ___.
2.The fire kept devouring the forest, leaving ___ behind.
3.He was devouring the book so fast that he finished it in ___ days.
4.Unlike slow eating, devouring means to eat quickly and with ___.
5.They were devouring the news, showing their strong ___ in the event.
6.When you are devouring a story, you are paying ___ attention to it.
7.The hungry dog was devouring its food, making ___ sounds while eating.