covetous

1 of 2

adjective

cov·​et·​ous ˈkə-və-təs 

1

: marked by inordinate desire for wealth or possessions or for another's possessions

He looked at his boss's new car with covetous eyes.

2

: having a craving for possession

covetous of power

covetously adverb

covetousness noun

covetousness

2 of 2

noun

cov·​et·​ous·​ness

ˈkə-və-təs-nəs

plural -es

: the state of being covetous : avarice

Synonyms of covetous

Adjective

• greedy
• eager
• mercenary
• avaricious
• acquisitive

Choose the Right Synonym for covetous

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 covetous in a Sentence

Adjective

The expensive car drew many covetous looks.

one aggressive bargain hunter rushed to make a covetous grab for the last marked-down TV

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Starring Elordi and Barry Keoghan, Fennell’s dark comedy about class resentment and covetous destruction was sold on the promise of erotic excess. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Feb. 2026

For most players, that amount of storage is realistically enough for all but the most covetous data hoarders. —Matt Kamen, Wired News, 3 Aug. 2025

This is, in part, correct: Voldemort is extremely covetous of power. —Literary Hub, 26 June 2025

Image Meet Me at the Crossroads by Megan Giddings The sudden appearance of seven mysterious doors across the world draws attention from religious sects, covetous billionaires and everyday people who speculate over what lies on the other side. —Laura Thompson, New York Times, 22 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see covet

Noun

Middle English coveitousnesse, from coveitous + -nesse -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

covetous

adjective

cov·​et·​ous ˈkəv-ət-əs 

: marked by a too eager desire especially for another's possessions

covetously adverb

covetousness noun