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raven
1 of 3noun
ra·ven
ˈrā-vən 
Synonyms of raven
: a large, glossy-black bird (Corvus corax) that is widely distributed in northern parts of the northern hemisphere but now rare in most areas of the eastern and central U.S. and that differs from the closely related common crow chiefly in its larger size and wedge-shaped tail and in having the feathers of the throat narrow and pointed resulting in a shaggy appearance
also
: any of various usually large and glossy black, corvine birds
raven
2 of 3adjective
: shiny and black like a raven's feathers
raven hair
raven
3 of 3verb
rav·en
ˈra-vən
ravened; ravening
ˈra-və-niŋ
ˈrav-niŋ
intransitive verb
1
: to feed greedily
2
: to prowl for food : prey
3
: plunder
transitive verb
1
: to devour greedily
2
: despoil
men … raven the earth, destroying its resources—
New Yorker
New Yorker
ravener
ˈra-və-nər
noun
ˈrav-nər
Synonyms
Adjective
- black
- ebony
- pitch-black
- pitch-dark
- pitchy
- sable
Verb
- bolt
- cram
- devour
- glut [archaic]
- gobble
- gorge
- gormandize
- gulp
- ingurgitate
- inhale
- scarf
- scoff
- slop
- wolf
See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Examples of raven in a Sentence
Adjective
had dark eyes and raven hair
Verb
the rat ravened the poisoned bait just as we had hoped
Recent Examples on the WebJulia Teti, WWD, 9 Aug. 2024
Branwen Throughout the world, ravens have been a symbol of prophecy and the spirit world.
—Anna Moeslein, Parents, 22 July 2024
Julia Teti, WWD, 11 Sep. 2024
The ultra-fine rice starch formula doesn’t leave a visible residue, making this a top contender for brunette, raven, and auburn-haired beauties.
—Maria Conti, Southern Living, 26 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for raven 
Noun
Kravitz coordinated the look with a pair of raven slingback pumps in satin crepe.
—Julia Teti, WWD, 9 Aug. 2024
Branwen Throughout the world, ravens have been a symbol of prophecy and the spirit world.
—Anna Moeslein, Parents, 22 July 2024
Adjective
Although Cabello spent the summer rocking blond tresses, her hair was a raven black hue.
—Julia Teti, WWD, 11 Sep. 2024
The ultra-fine rice starch formula doesn’t leave a visible residue, making this a top contender for brunette, raven, and auburn-haired beauties.
—Maria Conti, Southern Living, 26 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for raven
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'raven.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Dictionary Entries Near raven
ravelly
raven
ravenala
See More Nearby Entries 
Cite this Entry
“Raven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raven. Accessed 22 Sep. 2024.
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Kids Definition
raven
1 of 2 noun
ra·ven
ˈrā-vən
: a bird of Europe, Asia, northern Africa, and America that has glossy black feathers and is larger than the related crow
raven
2 of 2 adjective
: shiny and black like a raven's feathers
raven hair
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