avaricious

adjective

av·​a·​ri·​cious ˌa-və-ˈri-shəs How to pronounce avaricious (audio)
: greedy of gain : excessively acquisitive especially in seeking to hoard riches
avaricious land-grabbers
avariciously adverb
avariciousness noun
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 businesswoman who cheated her associates

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
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.
Stalin’s apprenticeship in high-stakes diplomacy had shown him to be cunning but also opportunistic, avaricious, obdurate. Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2017 Few places in the U.S. are more fraught with unresolved tension than South Dakota’s Black Hills, land stolen from the Sioux after treaties had been signed in order for avaricious Americans to pursue gold. Grayson Haver Currin, Outside Online, 7 July 2024 To make the situation even worse, many traders were smart, young, risk-loving, and avaricious. Alan S. Blinder, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2015 Code Words Across the centuries, the conspiracy theory of the manipulative, avaricious Jew has worn many faces, from Judas to Shylock to the Rothschilds. Alex Lemonides, New York Times, 9 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for avaricious 

Word History

Etymology

see avarice

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of avaricious was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near avaricious

Cite this Entry

“Avaricious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avaricious. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

avaricious

adjective
av·​a·​ri·​cious ˌav-ə-ˈrish-əs How to pronounce avaricious (audio)
: greedy for riches
avariciously adverb
avariciousness noun

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