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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.
Examples of jealousy in a Sentence
Literary Hub, 26 Nov. 2025
While influencers long made their money by playing off people’s jealousy, a new class of influencers is gaining traction by showing their most authentic selves.
—Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
Many have speculated that Kubrick was not finished with the film — an erotic mystery starring a very real couple as a fictional one torn apart by jealousy and infidelity over one night in New York City — or even pleased with the version sent to brass.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Nov. 2025
Hedda’s manipulations, fueled by jealousy and sadness and flirtation, lead Eileen to fall apart during the course of the night.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jealousy
Cite this Entry
“Jealousy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jealousy. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.
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jealousy
noun
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