Having a desire or appetite that cannot be satisfied, no matter how much you get.
From Latin 'insatiabilis' meaning 'that cannot be satisfied', from 'in-' (not) + 'satiabilis' (able to be filled), from 'satis' (enough). It entered English in the late Middle Ages.
We often call hunger or greed insatiable, but curiosity can be insatiable too—and that’s a superpower. The word quietly reminds you that ‘enough’ is a moving target your mind can set or reset.
“Insatiable” has often been used in sexualized ways, particularly to stereotype women as either dangerously oversexed or never satisfied, reinforcing double standards around desire. It has also been used to criticize women’s ambitions as excessive or unfeminine.
Avoid using “insatiable” to police or mock women’s desires or ambitions. Use it sparingly and contextually, focusing on behaviors or patterns rather than essentializing a person’s character, especially in gendered or sexual contexts.
["very strong desire","persistent drive","never fully satisfied (contextual)"]
When discussing desire or ambition, recognize how women’s pursuits of education, careers, or autonomy have been mischaracterized as insatiable or selfish, and instead frame them as legitimate aspirations.
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