WordGarden.iodevour
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /dɪvˈaʊə/
US
- /dɪˈvaʊər/
Meanings
Verb
to eat something hungrily or quickly
to destroy or consume something completely
to read, watch, or absorb something eagerly
More meaningsFewer meanings
to overwhelm someone as a strong feeling or desire
Beyond the definition
Imagine a wolf spotting its prey—it doesn't nibble, it devours. To devour something is to eat it very quickly and eagerly, as if you haven't eaten in days. But "devour" isn't just about food. You can also devour a book, meaning you read it fast because you can't put it down. And a busy job can devour your free time, meaning it uses it up quickly. You can even be devoured by grief, meaning you feel completely taken over by sadness. Think of something being swallowed up entirely—that is the core feeling behind "devour."
The word "devour" originally meant to swallow down or eat up, often in a frightening context—like a beast consuming its victim. While it still carries that sense of rapid and complete consumption, it has evolved far beyond literal eating. "He devoured the pizza in minutes" paints a vivid picture of someone ravenously hungry.
However, you can also devour information. "She devoured every article she could find on the subject" means she read them quickly and eagerly, trying to take in every detail. This extends to experiences as well: "They devoured the sights and sounds of Paris," suggesting they threw themselves into everything the city had to offer. In everyday life, the word is also used for resources: "The project devoured our budget" means it used up money quickly, leaving little behind.
Interestingly, "devour" can also describe being overwhelmed by strong emotions. To say "grief devoured her" means she was consumed by sadness, feeling helpless against its power. It implies a force that takes over completely, leaving little room for anything else.
Whether it's food, knowledge, experiences, feelings, time, or money, to devour is to take in or use up something quickly and completely. It is more than just eating or reading; it is about being utterly taken over by something.
Examples
- 1
Food
The kids devoured the cake before the candles had even cooled.
- 2
Reading
On the flight home, she devoured the entire novel in one sitting.
- Patterndevour a book
read it very quickly and eagerly
- 3
Information search
He devoured every article he could find about the missing plane.
- 4
Fuel use
Our old car devours gas on long trips.
- Patterndevour gas
use a lot of it
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Fire damage
By morning, the fire had devoured most of the barn.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- devourverb
Forms
- devouredpast tenseverb
- devouring-ing formverb
- devoursverb