Famished means extremely hungry, far beyond just ready for a snack. When you're famished, your stomach feels empty and urgent, like you haven't eaten in hours and need food now.

You might feel famished after a long day of hiking without lunch, or after swimming all afternoon and working up a huge appetite. The word captures that specific feeling when ordinary hunger becomes uncomfortable and all you can think about is getting something to eat.

People often exaggerate a bit when they say they're famished (you're probably not actually starving), but the word conveys just how intensely hungry you feel. A character in a book might arrive home famished after a long journey and head straight to the kitchen. When you finally sit down to dinner after being famished all afternoon, that first bite tastes especially wonderful.