jealousy

noun

jeal·​ou·​sy ˈje-lə-sē 

plural jealousies

1

: a jealous disposition, attitude, or feeling

a marriage destroyed by jealousy

petty jealousies

2

: zealous vigilance

cherish their official political freedom with fierce jealousy

—Paul Blanshard

Did you know?

Jealousy vs. Envy

Depending on who you ask, jealousy and envy are either exact synonyms, totally different words, or near-synonyms with some degree of semantic overlap and some differences. It is difficult to make the case, based on the evidence of usage that we have, for either of the first two possibilities. Both jealousy and envy are often used to indicate that a person is covetous of something that someone else has, but jealousy carries the particular sense of “zealous vigilance” and tends to be applied more exclusively to feelings of protectiveness regarding one’s own advantages or attachments. In the domain of romance, it is more commonly found than envy. If you were to say “your salt-shaker collection fills me with jealousy,” most people would take it to mean much the same thing as “your salt-shaker collection fills me with envy.” But if someone made a flirtatious comment to your partner, you would likely say that it caused you jealousy, not envy.

Synonyms

• covetousness
• enviousness
• envy
• green-eyed monster
• invidiousness
• resentment

Examples of jealousy in a Sentence

petty jealousies among political rivals

a marriage ruined by infidelity and jealousy

He was driven crazy with jealousy.

He was unable to control his jealousies.

Recent Examples on the Web

While most people understand intellectually that their partners have dating histories, having that history literally living down the hall creates an ongoing reminder that can trigger jealousy. —Anna Pulley, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025

This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity and money. —Jenna Sundel joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025

At the core, the lawyer put Combs’ and Ventura’s behavior and domestic violence down to jealousy and drugs. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 12 May 2025

Then, on May 12, the full moon in Scorpio shines a light on the shadowy parts (i.e., fear, shame, jealousy, lust) of our unconscious, highlighting the areas where themes of intimacy and trust need healing and clarity. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 12 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

see jealous

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for jealousy

• prelacy

Kids Definition

jealousy

noun

jeal·​ou·​sy ˈjel-ə-sē 

plural jealousies

: a jealous disposition, attitude, or feeling