feeding frenzy

noun

plural feeding frenzies

1

: a frenzy of eating : a wildly aggressive attack of prey by an animal or group of animals

sharks in a feeding frenzy

Chemoreception seems to be highly developed in this snake and the smell of prey is sufficient to initiate a feeding frenzy.

—Douglas Cable et al.

2

: an intensely and often wildly competitive and aggressive human activity likened to frenzied feeding by predatory animals

They do not relish the journalistic feeding frenzy that will greet the senator's likely appearance on the witness stand.

—U.S. News & World Report

Most of the Westerners who attended the heavily hyped sale knew very little about Soviet art—or the Soviet Union for that matter—but were whipped into a feeding frenzy by the historic excitement of the moment.

—Harlow Robinson

Examples of feeding frenzy in a Sentence

sharks in a feeding frenzy

Recent Examples on the Web

The whole subject had been a feeding frenzy for the tabloid press. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024

This domino effect creates somewhat of a feeding frenzy across the whole food chain, resulting in exciting and aggressive bass action. —Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 June 2024

After the Nuzzi and Kennedy story erupted in media circles and sparked a tabloid feeding frenzy, Nuzzi sued the political journalist and her ex-fiancé, Ryan Lizza, for harassment and blackmail. —Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Oct. 2024

The New Energy category was a feeding frenzy for the Volkswagen Group, with the Audi Q6 e-tron EV winning from the Volkswagen ID.5 and the Porsche Macan. —Michael Taylor, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined at sense 1