needier; neediest
1
: being in want : poverty-stricken
needy families
… where needy children from the community could come to get free, nutritious meals.—
Liza N. Burby
Liza N. Burby2
: marked by want of affection, attention, or emotional support
emotionally needy
The girl was needy for her mother's affection.
neediness
noun
Examples of needy in a Sentence
As a child, she was extremely needy and had no self-confidence.
those generous souls who regularly give money and donate clothes to help the needy
Recent Examples on the Web
With quarterback-needy teams like the Miami Dolphins (Malik Willis) and New York Jets (Geno Smith) already filling their depth chart earlier this week, the Vikings seem to be the best option if Murray is looking for a fresh start with a chance to make the playoffs.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 12 Mar. 2026
But Willis, who wouldn’t delve into details on how strongly other quarterback-needy teams pursued him, surely had other options.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
The Hope Florida program was created by the governor and first lady Casey DeSantis as a conservative answer to welfare and is intended to get needy Floridians off government aid by connecting them with outside groups like nonprofits and churches.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
The Daryl Hannah of the series, ditzy and needy and serving as a human complication to the love story on offer, is, Hannah asserted, a lie.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for needy
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Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 12 Mar. 2026
But Willis, who wouldn’t delve into details on how strongly other quarterback-needy teams pursued him, surely had other options.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
The Hope Florida program was created by the governor and first lady Casey DeSantis as a conservative answer to welfare and is intended to get needy Floridians off government aid by connecting them with outside groups like nonprofits and churches.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
The Daryl Hannah of the series, ditzy and needy and serving as a human complication to the love story on offer, is, Hannah asserted, a lie.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for needy
Cite this Entry
“Needy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needy. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
needy
adjective
needier; neediest
1
: being in want : very poor
needy families
2
: marked by want of affection, attention, or emotional support
a tendency to be emotionally needy
neediness
noun
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