GREEDY Synonyms: 166 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'greedy' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of greedy are acquisitive , avaricious , covetous , and grasping . While all these words mean "having or showing a strong desire for especially material possessions," greedy stresses lack of restraint and often of discrimination in desire. // greedy for status symbols

Q: When is it sensible to use 'acquisitive' instead of 'greedy'?

In some situations, the words acquisitive and greedy are roughly equivalent. However, acquisitive implies both eagerness to possess and ability to acquire and keep. // an eagerly acquisitive mind

Q: When is 'avaricious' a more appropriate choice than 'greedy'?

The words avaricious and greedy can be used in similar contexts, but avaricious implies obsessive acquisitiveness especially of money and strongly suggests stinginess. // an avaricious miser

Q: Where would 'covetous' be a reasonable alternative to 'greedy'?

The meanings of covetous and greedy largely overlap; however, covetous implies inordinate desire often for another's possessions. // covetous of his brother's country estate

Q: How does the word 'grasping' relate to other synonyms for 'greedy'?

Grasping adds to covetous and greedy an implication of selfishness and often suggests unfair or ruthless means. // a hard grasping businesswoman who cheated her associates

greedy

adjective

ˈgrē-dē

Definition of greedy next

as in mercenary

having or marked by an eager and often selfish desire especially for material possessions a young rocker who was greedy for fame and riches the greedy exploitation of the land by developers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in ravenous

having a huge appetite he's so greedy you have to carefully watch your plate during dinner, lest he snatch food off it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in excited

showing urgent desire or interest he's greedy for new assignments that will really challenge him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective greedy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of greedy are acquisitive, avaricious, covetous, and grasping. While all these words mean "having or showing a strong desire for especially material possessions," greedy stresses lack of restraint and often of discrimination in desire.

greedy for status symbols

When is it sensible to use acquisitive instead of greedy?

In some situations, the words acquisitive and greedy are roughly equivalent. However, acquisitive implies both eagerness to possess and ability to acquire and keep.

an eagerly acquisitive mind

When is avaricious a more appropriate choice than greedy?

The words avaricious and greedy can be used in similar contexts, but avaricious implies obsessive acquisitiveness especially of money and strongly suggests stinginess.

an avaricious miser

Where would covetous be a reasonable alternative to greedy?

The meanings of covetous and greedy largely overlap; however, covetous implies inordinate desire often for another's possessions.

covetous of his brother's country estate

How does the word grasping relate to other synonyms for greedy?

Grasping adds to covetous and greedy an implication of selfishness and often suggests unfair or ruthless means.

a hard grasping businesswoman who cheated her associates

Examples of greedy in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Recent Examples on the Web The child’s greedy lips suck the mother’s nipple while one eye stares straight out and commands us to worship. —

Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2024 Securing our freedoms that are not given to us by dirty, corrupt, greedy politicians. —

Nick Coltrain, The Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2024 Beginners often become greedy, increasing their trade sizes or holding on to positions too long in the hope of making even more money. —

Tatiana Keller, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024 Everybody’s price-gouging, everybody’s being greedy — corporate America mainly. —

J.j. McCorvey, NBC News, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for greedy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for greedy

Adjective

While the case was first opened in 2020, when Google blocked channels that then belonged to Wagner Group mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and oligarch Konstantin Malofeev, it was expanded when YouTube banned further channels after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

David Hodari, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2024
The Russian Foundation to Battle Injustice (R-FBI), founded by the former Wagner mercenary boss in 2021, is part of a multi-pronged disinformation effort that has increasingly pivoted from false claims about the Ukraine war to focus on the 2024 US presidential election.

Michael Conte, CNN, 30 Oct. 2024