Rabid
/ˈræbɪd/
adjectiveB2
Definition
Rabid means very extreme or violent in feeling or behavior. It often describes people who are very angry, very excited, or strongly support something in a way that seems too much or out of control. It can also mean infected with rabies, a serious disease in animals and humans, but usually it is used to describe strong emotions or actions.
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See It in Action
Showing extreme or violent feelings or opinions
- •He is a rabid supporter of the football team and never misses a game.
- •The crowd became rabid with excitement after the winning goal.
- •She gave a rabid speech defending her ideas without listening to others.
Infected with rabies (disease causing violent behavior in animals and humans)
- •The dog was rabid and had to be taken to the vet immediately.
- •Rabid animals can be very dangerous and should be avoided.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "rabid" like "angry" (A1 word), but much stronger and more wild—like anger you cannot control
- ✓Picture a wild animal that is very sick and acts crazy, biting and moving fast without thinking
- ✓It's the feeling when someone is so excited or angry about a sports team or idea that they cannot listen to others
- ✓Sounds like "RAB-id" → imagine a rabbit (sounds like "rab") acting crazy and out of control
- ✓In stories, a "rabid fan" is someone who loves a band or team so much they act very strongly, sometimes too much
- ✓NOT like "mad" (which can be calm or quiet), "rabid" is loud, wild, and often scary
- ✓NOT like "crazy" (general mental state), "rabid" usually means strong feelings or disease-related wild behavior
- ✓NOT like "calm" or "quiet"—rabid is the opposite, full of energy and sometimes danger
Try Other Words
- •Fanatical: showing extreme and unreasonable enthusiasm or support (Use when talking about very strong, sometimes too much, support for something)
- •Furious: very angry (Use when focusing on strong anger without the idea of uncontrolled behavior)
- •Infected: having a disease (Use when talking about rabies disease, not feelings)
- •Violent: using strong physical force (Use when rabid means dangerous and aggressive)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "rabid" comes from "rabies," a disease, with the suffix "-id" meaning "having or showing"
- •Etymology: From Latin "rabidus," meaning "mad, raging," related to "rabies," the disease causing madness in animals
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe animals with rabies, later used metaphorically for extreme, wild behavior or feelings
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe very strong, sometimes too strong, emotions, especially in sports fans or angry people, as well as the disease state
Reflect & Connect
•Can being rabid ever be a good thing, like showing strong passion, or is it always negative?
•How do we decide when someone's feelings or actions are just strong versus rabid and out of control?
Fill in the blanks
1.A rabid fan often ___ their team without thinking about other opinions or facts.
2.When an animal is rabid, it usually shows ___ behavior that can be dangerous to people.
3.Unlike calm supporters, rabid fans can sometimes ___ others with their strong emotions.
4.The politician gave a rabid speech that made the audience feel ___ and excited.
5.Rabid animals are usually avoided because they ___ the rabies disease.
6.People who are rabid about something often act ___ and do not listen to others.
7.The crowd became rabid ___ the team scored the winning goal, showing wild excitement.