jealousy

noun

jeal·​ou·​sy ˈje-lə-sē 

plural jealousies

1

: a jealous disposition, attitude, or feeling

a marriage destroyed by jealousy

petty jealousies

2

: zealous vigilance

… cherish their official political freedom with fierce jealousy …

—Paul Blanshard

Did you know?

Jealousy vs. Envy

Depending on who you ask, jealousy and envy are either exact synonyms, totally different words, or near-synonyms with some degree of semantic overlap and some differences. It is difficult to make the case, based on the evidence of usage that we have, for either of the first two possibilities. Both jealousy and envy are often used to indicate that a person is covetous of something that someone else has, but jealousy carries the particular sense of “zealous vigilance” and tends to be applied more exclusively to feelings of protectiveness regarding one’s own advantages or attachments. In the domain of romance, it is more commonly found than envy. If you were to say “your salt-shaker collection fills me with jealousy,” most people would take it to mean much the same thing as “your salt-shaker collection fills me with envy.” But if someone made a flirtatious comment to your partner, you would likely say that it caused you jealousy, not envy.

Synonyms of jealousy

• resentment
• envy
• hatred

Examples of jealousy in a Sentence

petty jealousies among political rivals

a marriage ruined by infidelity and jealousy

He was driven crazy with jealousy.

He was unable to control his jealousies.

Recent Examples on the Web

JoAnne is mired in student debt and married to her former professor, fueling understandable jealousy behind her therapist’s poker face. —Alison Herman, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026

Between the jealousy, paranoia, and a shocking cake-cutting scene that'd give any wedding planner a lifetime of nightmares, The Girlfriend puts a soapy, sexy, scary spin on well-trodden monster-in-law territory. —Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026

Was there a sense of jealousy among bands of the era that Blue Oyster Cult got this renaissance? —Devon Ivie, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026

Be careful not to let someone else manipulate you or use guilt or jealousy as a technique. —Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for jealousy

• prelacy

Kids Definition

jealousy

noun

jeal·​ou·​sy ˈjel-ə-sē 

plural jealousies

: a jealous disposition, attitude, or feeling