thirsty
gb/θˈɚsti/ us/θˈɚsti/
A1
English
~ 7700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
property
1
feeling the need to drink
Wanting to drink because your mouth is dry or you have not had enough water.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is/feels/gets thirsty
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"I have thirsty"* instead of *"I am thirsty"*. In English, "thirsty" is an adjective, so it goes with the verb "be" (am/is/are), not with "have".
Synonyms
parched (Stronger and more dramatic than "thirsty"; often used after being in great heat or dryness.)
Antonyms
hydrated (Describes someone who has drunk enough liquid and is not thirsty.)
Collocations
feel thirsty
|get thirsty
|very thirsty
|extremely thirsty
|thirsty after exercise
|thirsty all day
Themes
daily life
|health
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- After running in the hot sun, I was so thirsty that I drank a whole liter of water.
- If you feel thirsty all the time, you should talk to your doctor.
- The hikers grew tired and thirsty as they climbed higher into the mountains.
- I’m a little thirsty—could I have a glass of water?
- Children often forget to drink until they are already very thirsty.
Learner examples
- I am thirsty, so I want some water.
- He feels thirsty after football practice.
- We got thirsty on the long walk home.
- Drink water before you get thirsty.
- The dog is thirsty and goes to its bowl.
adjective
B2
property
2
strongly wanting something non-physical
Wanting something very much, like success, power, or knowledge, not food or drink.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is thirsty for [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this figurative sense with any noun. It is common with abstract nouns like "knowledge", "power", "success", or "justice", but it sounds unnatural with many everyday things. Do not say *"thirsty for a new phone"*; instead say *"really want a new phone"*.
Synonyms
eager (Shows strong positive desire, usually without the slightly intense or dramatic tone that "thirsty" can have.)
Antonyms
indifferent (Describes someone who does not care or does not strongly want the thing in question.)
Collocations
thirsty for knowledge
|thirsty for success
|thirsty for power
|thirsty for justice
|thirsty for change
|politically thirsty voters
Themes
emotions
|work
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She was thirsty for knowledge and spent every evening reading books.
- The company is clearly thirsty for success and is expanding into new markets.
- Voters are thirsty for change after years of corruption scandals.
- Young players are hungry and thirsty for opportunities to prove themselves.
- He has always been thirsty for adventure and new experiences.
Learner examples
- She is thirsty for knowledge and studies every night.
- Many people are thirsty for change in their government.
- He is thirsty for success in his new job.
- The students are thirsty for new ideas.
- The team is thirsty for a win after many losses.
adjective
slang
C1
property
3
overly eager for attention or sex
Wanting love, sex, or attention so much that it looks desperate, often in a funny or negative way.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is/acts/seems thirsty for [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use this slang in formal situations, like job interviews or academic writing, where it sounds very inappropriate. It is mainly used in spoken casual English and on social media, and often has a sexual or slightly rude tone.
Synonyms
desperate (General word for wanting something too much; "thirsty" is trendier slang, especially online and often about sex or attention.)
Antonyms
uninterested (Describes someone who does not seem to want attention or romance at all.)
Collocations
thirsty for attention
|so thirsty
|thirsty behavior
|thirsty comments
|thirsty DMs
|thirsty guys
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|internet
|communication
Examples
- He likes every single photo she posts—he’s so thirsty.
- Those thirsty comments under her selfie made her feel uncomfortable.
- Stop acting so thirsty in his DMs; he already knows you like him.
- The influencer was accused of being thirsty for attention after staging a fake prank video.
- Posting ten shirtless photos in one day is kind of thirsty.
Learner examples
- People called him thirsty because he sent many romantic messages.
- She thinks he is thirsty for attention on social media.
- That post looks very thirsty; he just wants likes.
- They joked that she was thirsty after she flirted with every guy at the party.
- He is not shy online; he is a little thirsty.
adjective
B2
property
4
needing a lot of water
Needing a lot of water to grow well or stay in good condition.
Usage pattern:
[something] is a thirsty [plant/soil/area]
Synonyms
water-hungry (Less common and more technical-sounding; mainly used in environmental or gardening contexts.)
Antonyms
drought-tolerant (Describes plants that can survive with very little water, the opposite of needing a lot of water.)
Collocations
thirsty plants
|thirsty crops
|thirsty lawns
|thirsty garden
|water-thirsty land
|thirsty soil
Themes
nature
|environment
|science
Examples
- These are very thirsty plants and need to be watered every day in summer.
- The lawn is surprisingly thirsty, soaking up every drop from the sprinkler.
- Farmers are replacing thirsty crops with varieties that use less water.
- In this dry region, thirsty gardens are hard to maintain.
- The new trees are still young and very thirsty, so don’t forget to water them regularly.
Learner examples
- Tomatoes are thirsty plants and need a lot of water.
- Our lawn is very thirsty in hot weather.
- These flowers are thirsty, so I water them every morning.
- The farmer does not want thirsty crops during a dry year.
- Cactus is not a thirsty plant.
adjective
C1
property
5
making people feel thirsty
Making you want a drink, usually because the work, weather, or food is dry or makes you tired.
Usage pattern:
[something] is thirsty work
Common mistake:
Learners may misunderstand "thirsty work" and think the work itself needs water. In this expression, it means the work makes people feel thirsty.
Synonyms
drying (Focuses more on removing moisture, often from the mouth or body; "thirsty" here emphasizes the feeling of needing a drink.)
Antonyms
refreshing (Describes something that makes you feel cooler or less thirsty, often the opposite effect of "thirsty" activities.)
Collocations
thirsty work
|thirsty job
|thirsty walking
|thirsty afternoon
|thirsty weather
|thirsty heat
Themes
daily life
|work
|health
|body
|weather
Examples
- Gardening in this heat is thirsty work.
- All that salty food is really thirsty; I need a big glass of water.
- Walking across the sand at midday was thirsty business.
- Painting the house turned out to be very thirsty work.
- It’s thirsty weather today—make sure you bring some water.
Learner examples
- Cleaning the house all day is thirsty work.
- Spicy food can be very thirsty.
- Walking in the sun is thirsty work.
- Running in hot weather is really thirsty.
- It is thirsty weather today, so drink a lot of water.
Grammar
Dictionary form
thirsty
IPA
GB/θˈɚsti/
US/θˈɚsti/
Syllables & stress
thirsty (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (thirsty)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: thirsty
- Comparative: thirstier
- Superlative: thirstiest
Word family
Forms
thirstier
adjective
thirstiest
adjective
Core family
thirst
noun A2
thirstily
adverb
Related words
thirstiness
noun
Expressions
thirsty for attention
1/θˈɚsti fɚ ətˈɛnʃən/
fixed phrase
informal
strongly wanting to be noticed
Wanting people to look at you or think about you very much, often in a negative or joking way.
Examples
- Some people post dramatic stories online because they are thirsty for attention.
- The critics said the stunt was just a thirsty for attention move by the actor.
thirsty for knowledge
1/θˈɚsti fɚ nˈɑlɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
strongly wanting to learn more
Wanting very much to learn many new things or to understand more.
Examples
- The professor loved teaching students who were truly thirsty for knowledge.
- As a child, she was always thirsty for knowledge and read every book she could find.
thirsty for power
1/θˈɚsti fɚ pˈaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
strongly wanting power or control
Wanting very much to have power and control over people or important things.
Examples
- The leader was described as thirsty for power and unwilling to share decisions.
- Some voters worry that the party is too thirsty for power to govern fairly.
thirsty work
1/θˈɚsti wˈɚk/
idiom
activity that makes you thirsty
Work or an activity that makes you want a drink, usually because it is hard or done in heat.
Examples
- Climbing all those stairs was thirsty work; let’s stop for a drink.
- Cooking for a big party is thirsty work, especially in the summer.