rabid

adjective

ra·​bid ˈra-bəd 

also

ˈrā- 

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

rabidity

rə-ˈbi-də-tē 

ra-

rā-

noun

rabidly

ˈra-bəd-lē 

 also  ˈrā-

adverb

rabidness noun

Synonyms

• extreme
• extremist
• fanatic
• fanatical
• radical
• revolutionary
• revolutionist
• ultra

Examples of rabid in a Sentence

a politician with rabid supporters

Her husband is a rabid baseball fan.

Recent Examples on the Web

This is a very famous spinoff of a very famous show that has a rabid fanbase. —H. Alan Scott, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025

Two persons, however, were exposed to the rabid bull and had to be given rabies vaccine. —The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 16 Feb. 2025

The new Dave Matthews Band No act on this year's ballot has a more rabid fanbase than Phish. —Troy Smith, Axios, 14 Feb. 2025

And its 2017 sequel doubled down on the whimsy, the quirk and the Wes Anderson-style formalism in a way that turned both audiences and millennial-hipster film critics into rabid fans. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin rabidus mad, from rabere

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

rabid

adjective

ra·​bid ˈrab-əd 

 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