I might as well drown as starve.
Source: tatoeba (20077)
Starve
/stɑːv/
Synonyms for "starve" (97 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (20)
Verb(3 words)
annihilateasphyxiatebe in wantbe killedbe pinchedbe poorbe ravenousbegrudgebereave of lifecarry awaycarry offchloroformchokecut downcut offdeprive of lifedestroy
Strong matches (29)
Related words (48)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: crave, annihilate, asphyxiate, be in want, be killed.
- Sentence evidence is available for starve, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "starve".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "starve"
Keep "starve" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "starve" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "starve", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "starve" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
24 entriesShowing 16 of 24 words.
More specific
6 entriescrave attentiondie from hungerstarve civiliansstarve prisonerswaste awayyearn for praise
Collocations
5 entriesdie of hungergo hungrystarve for attentionstarve oneselfsuffer hunger
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
1 entriesTranslations
44 translations across 33 languages.
Arabic
1 entries- مَاتَ جَوْعًا verb (to die because of lack of food)
Asturian
1 entries- esfamiar verb (to die because of lack of food)
Belarusian
1 entries- галада́ць verb (to die because of lack of food)
Bulgarian
1 entries- гладувам verb (to die because of lack of food)
Catalan
1 entries- morir de gana verb (to die because of lack of food)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 餓死 /饿死 verb (to die because of lack of food)
Czech
1 entries- hladovět verb (to die because of lack of food)
Dutch
2 entries- sterven van de honger verb (to die because of lack of food)
- verhongeren verb (to die because of lack of food)
Faroese
1 entries- svølta verb (to die because of lack of food)
Finnish
3 entries- kuolla nälkään verb (to die because of lack of food)
- nääntyä verb (to die because of lack of food)
- nääntyä (nälkään) verb (to die because of lack of food)
French
1 entries- mourir de faim verb (to die because of lack of food)
Galician
2 entries- alangrear verb (to die because of lack of food)
- esfamear verb (to die because of lack of food)
German
2 entries- Hungers sterben verb (to die because of lack of food)
- verhungern verb (to die because of lack of food)
Hebrew
1 entries- גָּוַע verb (to die because of lack of food)
Hungarian
1 entries- éhenhal verb (to die because of lack of food)
Indonesian
1 entries- mati kelaparan verb (to die because of lack of food)
Italian
1 entries- morire di fame verb (to die because of lack of food)
Japanese
2 entries- 飢える verb (to die because of lack of food)
- 餓死する verb (to die because of lack of food)
Khün
1 entries- ᩋᩧ᩠ᨷ verb (to die because of lack of food)
Korean
1 entries- 굶어죽다 verb (to die because of lack of food)
Polish
1 entries- głodować verb (to die because of lack of food)
Portuguese
1 entries- morrer de fome verb (to die because of lack of food)
Romanian
3 entries- flămânzi verb (to die because of lack of food)
- muri de foame verb (to die because of lack of food)
- suferi de foame verb (to die because of lack of food)
Russian
4 entries- голода́ть verb (to die because of lack of food)
- умира́ть от го́лода verb (to die because of lack of food)
- умира́ть с го́лода verb (to die because of lack of food)
- умира́ть с го́лоду verb (to die because of lack of food)
Slovak
1 entries- hladovať verb (to die because of lack of food)
Slovene
1 entries- stradati verb (to die because of lack of food)
Spanish
1 entries- morir de hambre verb (to die because of lack of food)
Swedish
1 entries- svälta verb (to die because of lack of food)
Tagalog
1 entries- gutumin verb (to die because of lack of food)
Telugu
1 entries- ఆకలిచావు verb (to die because of lack of food)
Turkish
1 entries- açlıktan ölmek verb (to die because of lack of food)
Ukrainian
1 entries- голодува́ти verb (to die because of lack of food)
Vietnamese
1 entries- chết đói verb (to die because of lack of food)
Sample sentences
26 total sentences available.
We cannot stand quiet and watch people starve.
Source: tatoeba (22878)
I might as well starve as do such a thing.
Source: tatoeba (41624)
Feed a cold and starve a fever.
Source: tatoeba (63733)
Showing 4 of 26 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "starve"?
Closest matches include crave, annihilate, asphyxiate, be in want, be killed.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "starve"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.