: a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (such as money) than is needed
motivated by naked ambition and greed
Examples of greed in a Sentence
He was a ruthless businessman, motivated by naked ambition and greed.
don't let greed for riches control you
Recent Examples on the Web
Some cases even involve disgruntled family members acting out of greed.
—
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Strong will play class-action lawyer Jason Smith, who exposed the politics, greed and corruption that initially worked against emergency workers who responded after the World Trade Center collapsed.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2025
In the 13-episode epic, Our Blues’ Kim Woo-bin stars as Iblis, a Satanic genie who is utterly convinced of humanity’s inherent greed.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
The larger themes of Midnight Timetable are about death and loss, yes, but how frequently greed and cruelty sprout from this fertile earth.
—Diana Arterian
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for greed
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.
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Strong will play class-action lawyer Jason Smith, who exposed the politics, greed and corruption that initially worked against emergency workers who responded after the World Trade Center collapsed.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2025
In the 13-episode epic, Our Blues’ Kim Woo-bin stars as Iblis, a Satanic genie who is utterly convinced of humanity’s inherent greed.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
The larger themes of Midnight Timetable are about death and loss, yes, but how frequently greed and cruelty sprout from this fertile earth.
—Diana Arterian
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for greed
Cite this Entry
“Greed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greed. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
greed
noun
: selfish desire for food, money, or possessions over and above one's needs
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share