Definition of AVARICIOUS

Choose the Right Synonym for avaricious

covetous, greedy, acquisitive, grasping, avaricious mean having or showing a strong desire for especially material possessions. covetous implies inordinate desire often for another's possessions. covetous of his brother's country estate greedy stresses lack of restraint and often of discrimination in desire. greedy for status symbols acquisitive implies both eagerness to possess and ability to acquire and keep. an eagerly acquisitive mind grasping adds to covetous and greedy an implication of selfishness and often suggests unfair or ruthless means. a hard grasping trader who cheated the natives avaricious implies obsessive acquisitiveness especially of money and strongly suggests stinginess. an avaricious miser

Examples of avaricious in a Sentence

an avaricious scheme to con the elderly couple out of thousands of dollars

Recent Examples on the Web Douglas was ambitious, backstabbing, avaricious, and more practical than principled. — Lisa Donovan, chicagotribune.com, "The Spin: Dems talk urgency in impeachment message | Patti Blagojevich on husband’s ‘remarkable accomplishments’ | Door starts to revolve in Lightfoot administration," 10 Dec. 2019 Winning is the only concept that can permeate their psychological crusts; winning, for the Roy children, is also almost impossible given their avaricious, impulsive ogre of a father. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "Succession Is Better Than Ever," 11 Aug. 2019 Wrightsman overcame childhood illness to become a World War I aviator, a crack polo player, and an avaricious but discriminating collector. — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, "Hamish Bowles Remembers Jayne Wrightsman, Esteemed Arts Connoisseur and Legendary Hostess," 24 Apr. 2019 The demanding aunt, Anushka (a convincingly imperious Marthe Keller), knows Greg’s attentions are avaricious, and that the girlfriend, Sophie, hates her. — John Anderson, WSJ, "‘The Romanoffs’ Review: Far From Revolutionary," 11 Oct. 2018 The Once-ler — who’s been ousted by his avaricious family in favor of a boarder — hits the road and stumbles upon the Lorax’s realm near the story’s start. — James Hebert, sandiegouniontribune.com, "At Old Globe, 'The Lorax' brings Dr. Seuss' environmental saga to vivid life," 8 July 2018 But the post office — with its economies of scale, and freedom from avaricious shareholders — could offer America’s working class access to short-term credit at a fraction of the present cost. — Eric Levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Democrats Have a Plan to Save the Post Office – and Kill Payday Lenders," 25 Apr. 2018 That, of course, would be Johnson's Davis Okuye, a primatologist whose prize subject -- a sign-language-fluent albino gorilla named George -- unluckily runs afoul of a pathogen that plummets from the sky, courtesy of an avaricious corporation. — Brian Lowry, CNN, "'Rampage' cooks up generic monster mash with Dwayne Johnson," 12 Apr. 2018 These were sites of brutal treatment and unbearable sorrow, as callous and avaricious slave traders tore apart families, separating husbands from wives, and children from their parents. — Jonathan W. White, Smithsonian, "When Emancipation Finally Came, Slave Markets Took on a Redemptive Purpose," 27 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'avaricious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

15 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Avaricious.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avaricious. Accessed 26 January 2020.