needier; neediest
1
: being in want : poverty-stricken
needy families
… where needy children from the community could come to get free, nutritious meals.—
Liza N. Burby
Liza N. Burby2
: marked by want of affection, attention, or emotional support
emotionally needy
The girl was needy for her mother's affection.
neediness
noun
Examples of needy in a Sentence
As a child, she was extremely needy and had no self-confidence.
those generous souls who regularly give money and donate clothes to help the needy
Recent Examples on the Web
The boat parade and auction will benefit needy Wilson County children this season.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Dec. 2025
The collegiate calendar has officially hit conference championship and playoff time, as a host of needy franchises get a couple final evaluations on this 2026 quarterback class.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Dec. 2025
The Blue Jays will be among the teams trying to land him, but will be competing with plenty of other infielder-needy clubs.
—Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Toy drive collections have been a part of the holiday season for many years, and help needy families put something special under the tree for Christmas day.
—Elaine Rewolinski, jsonline.com, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for needy
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Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Dec. 2025
The collegiate calendar has officially hit conference championship and playoff time, as a host of needy franchises get a couple final evaluations on this 2026 quarterback class.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Dec. 2025
The Blue Jays will be among the teams trying to land him, but will be competing with plenty of other infielder-needy clubs.
—Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Toy drive collections have been a part of the holiday season for many years, and help needy families put something special under the tree for Christmas day.
—Elaine Rewolinski, jsonline.com, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for needy
Cite this Entry
“Needy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needy. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
needy
adjective
needier; neediest
1
: being in want : very poor
needy families
2
: marked by want of affection, attention, or emotional support
a tendency to be emotionally needy
neediness
noun
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