# crave

> English word · Verb · IPA /kɹeɪv/ · frequency rank #15,595

## Definitions
1. To desire strongly, so as to satisfy an appetite; to long or yearn for.
2. To ask for earnestly; to beg or demand, as from a figure of authority.
3. To call for; to require as a course of action.

## Etymology
From Middle English craven, from Old English crafian (“to crave, ask, implore, demand, summon”), from Proto-West Germanic *krafōn, from Proto-Germanic *krafjaną (“to demand”). Cognate with Danish kræve (“to demand, require”), Swedish kräva (“to crave, demand”), Icelandic krefja (“to demand”), Norwegian kreve (“to demand”).

## Easily confused with
- **Cree** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-cree)
- **cray** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-cray)
- **crazy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-crazy)
- **crime** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-crime)
- **curve** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-curve)
- **crude** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-crude)
- **crawl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-crawl)
- **crore** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-crore)
- **craze** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-craze)
- **Crete** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-crete)
- **Crewe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-crewe)
- **crème** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-creme)
- **Croke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-croke)
- **crone** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-crone)
- **create** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-create)
- **crease** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-crease)
- **craven** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-craven)
- **crazed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-crazed)
- **curate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-curate)
- **craved** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crave-vs-craved)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ccrave`, `craev`, `cravve`, `crrave`, `crvae`, `rcave`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/crave