needy

adjective

ˈnē-dē 

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

2

: marked by want of affection, attention, or emotional support

emotionally needy

The girl was needy for her mother's affection.

neediness noun

Synonyms of needy

• impoverished
• poor

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

Two South Florida Democrats are hopeful their bill to keep medically needy children with their parents will pass this year and allow more discretion in child abuse investigations. —Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 12 Jan. 2026

Trump has since blocked funding to Colorado for needy families, disaster relief and clean water. —Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026

Depending on how long that review takes, the funding freeze could jeopardize programs that serve New York’s neediest families and force day care centers to shutter, just as Mamdani looks to expand universal child care. —Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026

This especially applies when the most obvious victims of such a drastic action could end up being genuinely needy kids. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing needy

• the needy

Rhymes for needy

• beady
• greedy
• guidi
• reedy
• seedy
• speedy
• tweedy
• weedy
• unready

Kids Definition

needy

adjective

ˈnēd-ē 

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