envious

adjective

en·​vi·​ous ˈen-vē-əs How to pronounce envious (audio)
1
: feeling or showing envy
envious of their neighbor's new car
envious looks
2
archaic
a
b
enviously adverb
enviousness noun

Examples of envious in a Sentence

a family that is envious of their neighbors' big house
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Linda’s daughter, Hanna, became envious of her mom’s experience and began her own adventure. Mary Beth “mouse” Skylis, Outside Online, 15 Nov. 2024 Soon, the jealous Bruce and envious Ida take notice and the timers on Terry’s life and Vincent’s enterprise start ticking. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Oct. 2024 On Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, Hunter admitted to, at times, being envious of friends whose parents work in the entertainment industry. Erica Marrison, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2024 Succession On Location: The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park Succession viewers may not have been envious of the Roy family’s dysfunctional dynamic, but the luxurious backdrops certainly caught everyone’s attention. Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for envious 

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of envious was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near envious

Cite this Entry

“Envious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/envious. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

envious

adjective
en·​vi·​ous ˈen-vē-əs How to pronounce envious (audio)
: feeling or showing envy
envious of a neighbor's good luck
an envious look
enviously adverb
enviousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on envious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!