starvation

noun

star·​va·​tion stär-ˈvā-shən 

1

: the act or an instance of starving

2

: the state of being starved

Examples of starvation in a Sentence

The famine brought mass starvation.

Millions of people face starvation every day.

Recent Examples on the Web

However, sometime within the past three years, an unknown person apparently hacked the mission’s voicemail, rerecording the greeting message as a satirical monologue about mass starvation and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026

Those being deported today weren’t captured and sold into bondage; many left home to escape civil war, gang violence or starvation. — Karen Masterson, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026

After three months of mandatory surgeries, dental work, starvation, and squats, the contestants see their reflections for the first time during a dramatic onscreen reveal. — Jolene Edgar, Allure, 2 Oct. 2026

An autopsy found that Jacqueline died of fatal child abuse with starvation. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1762, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing starvation

• starvation diet
• starvation wages

Rhymes for starvation

• ablation
• aeration
• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation

Kids Definition

starvation

noun

star·​va·​tion stär-ˈvā-shən 

: the act or an instance of starving : the state of being starved

Medical Definition

starvation

noun

star·​va·​tion stär-ˈvā-shən 

1

: the act or an instance of starving

2

: the state of being starved