Synonyms of rabid
1
a
: extremely violent : furious
b
: going to extreme lengths in expressing or pursuing a feeling, interest, or opinion
rabid editorials
a rabid supporter
2
: affected with rabies
a rabid dog
rabidness noun

Examples of rabid in a Sentence

a politician with rabid supporters Her husband is a rabid baseball fan.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Instead, Cartwright returns to his deceased grandfather’s home thrilled to see that Baker has successfully evaded both the Russian assassins and MI5’s own rabid dogs. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026 Many rabid fans from other cities would be glad to trade places with them anytime. — Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026 Small high school gymnasium, rabid fans watching the WNBA Finals. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 The outsized performance of movies such as Obsession and Backrooms sparked a rabid interest from studios in a generation of filmmakers who did not come up the traditional latter, but instead rose up making short-form content on digital platforms. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rabid

Word History

Etymology

Latin rabidus mad, from rabere

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of rabid was in 1594

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rabid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rabid. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

rabid

adjective
ra·​bid ˈrab-əd How to pronounce rabid (audio)
also ˈrā-bəd
1
: extremely violent : furious
2
: going to extreme lengths (as in interest or opinion)
rabid supporters
3
: affected with rabies
a rabid dog
rabidly adverb

Medical Definition

rabid

adjective
ra·​bid
ˈrab-əd also ˈrā-bəd
: affected with rabies
a rabid dog
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