thirst

thirst — noun

1. the dry, uncomfortable feeling in your mouth and throat that makes you want to d

1.nounB1
Definition

the dry, uncomfortable feeling in your mouth and throat that makes you want to drink something.

Example

After hiking for hours in the desert, Yuna finally stopped to quench her thirst.

collocation: quench / ease / satisfy thirst

The doctor explained that extreme thirst can be a sign of dehydration.

Common collocations
  • quench thirst
  • ease thirst
  • satisfy thirst
  • suffer from thirst
  • die of thirst
Synonyms
  • need to drink

    more descriptive and less idiomatic; used in formal or medical contexts

  • dryness

    focuses on the physical sensation rather than the desire

Common Mistakes

I have a big thirst today.
I'm very thirsty today.
In everyday English, 'thirst' is not usually used in 'have a thirst' for simple physical need; the adjective 'thirsty' is far more natural.

2. a powerful and eager wish for something such as knowledge, justice, freedom, or

2.nounB2
Definition

a powerful and eager wish for something such as knowledge, justice, freedom, or adventure that goes beyond a simple want.

Example

Christopher's thirst for knowledge led him to study three different languages at once.

collocation: thirst for [abstract noun]

The protest was driven by the people's thirst for justice and fair treatment.

Common collocations
  • thirst for knowledge
  • thirst for power
  • thirst for freedom
  • thirst for justice
  • thirst for adventure
  • thirst for recognition
Synonyms
  • craving

    stronger and more urgent; often used for physical or substance desires

  • longing

    more emotional and wistful; suggests something distant or unattainable

  • yearning

    more poetic and tender; suggests deep emotional pain or nostalgia

Antonyms

Usage Note

Always followed by 'for' + an abstract noun. Common collocates include 'knowledge', 'power', 'freedom', 'justice', 'adventure', 'recognition'. Not used for everyday wants (e.g. 'a thirst for a new phone' would sound exaggerated).

Common Mistakes

He has a thirst for a new phone.
He really wants a new phone.
'Thirst' in the figurative sense sounds exaggerated for casual wants; it belongs with serious, deep desires.
She has thirst of justice.
She has a thirst for justice.
The noun requires the article 'a' and the preposition 'for'.

thirst — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Thirst, craving, longing, hunger, and yearning all describe strong desires, but they differ in the type and intensity of the wish. Thirst (for knowledge, justice, freedom) suggests an urgent, almost physical need — as if the desired thing is as essential as water. Craving emphasizes a powerful, sometimes uncontrollable urge, often tied to specific substances or experiences ('a craving for chocolate'). Longing is more emotional and wistful, focused on something distant or unattainable ('a longing for home'). Hunger overlaps with thirst in figurative use ('hunger for success') but carries a sense of voracious appetite rather than urgent need. Yearning is the most poetic and implies a deep, tender, often painful desire ('a yearning for love'). While thirst conveys an active, driving need, yearning feels more passive and emotional.

cravinglonginghunger ↗yearning

Common collocations

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Thirst comes from Old English 'þurst', meaning dryness or the need to drink. This word traces back to Proto-Germanic '*þurstuz' and ultimately to the Indo-European root '*ters-', which means 'to dry'. From the same root come English 'torrid' (very hot and dry), 'terrain' (dry land), and 'toast' (dried bread). The figurative meaning — a strong desire for something beyond drink — appeared very early, showing that the metaphor of thirst for deep wanting is ancient. Related Germanic words include German 'Durst' and Dutch 'dorst', both meaning thirst.