greed

noun

: 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 Chan, while working with developers, was motivated not by greed but by a desire to make L.A. more business-friendly, Hanusz said. David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Turchin believes that violent outbreaks occur every 50 years, allowing enough time to pass for elites to forget about the consequences of rising greed and instability. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 12 Mar. 2024 But both films trade on moments of casual cruelty, the ways that greed can twist love, and the masks humans often wear to manipulate those closest to them. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 Because the Pinochet of the film has been around for hundreds of years, the true details about the dictator are not the focus; instead, the character becomes a stand-in for the concept of greed. Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2024 Independent financial research firm Fundstrat's head of research Tom Lee said on CNBC that corporate greed was a key driver to inflation. USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024 Too bad that simple treatment is becoming unaffordable, through a maddening combination of greed and regulatory failure. Peter Ubel, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Buffett wrote of his sister’s thinking, emphasizing that financial pundits are often motivated by greed, rather than a genuine love of helping others. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024 Because Arnold was paid handsomely for transferring allegiances, most of his contemporaries chalked up his actions to simple greed. Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'greed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from greedy

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of greed was in 1609

Dictionary Entries Near greed

Cite this Entry

“Greed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greed. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

greed

noun
: selfish desire for food, money, or possessions over and above one's needs

More from Merriam-Webster on greed

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