needy

adjective

\ ˈnē-dē

needier; neediest

Definition of needy

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.

Other Words from needy Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about needy

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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

For decades, most members were able to volunteer at local chapters’ shops, which raised money for league activities and provided clothes to the needy, according to the Junior League association. — Valerie Bauerlein, WSJ, "Junior League Strains to Keep Members, Thrift Stores," 26 Dec. 2018 American Legion Soldiers, Sailors, Marines Fund DANIELSON-PUTNAM — The Connecticut Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Fund was established in 1919 to assist needy wartime veterans and their families. — Courant Community, "Community News For The Killingly Edition," 27 Mar. 2018 Digital First Media/Getty Images Charitable giving is a hallmark of the holiday season, but this year, do-gooders aren’t just dropping off clothes for the needy and sending food to soup kitchens. — Nadra Nittle, Vox, "How states and crowdfunding are tackling the growing problem of student lunch debt," 27 Dec. 2018 Di Maio, who pledged to give needy Italians a basic income, takes over as economic development minister, while Salvini heads the interior ministry, the key position to enforce his pledge to expel hundreds of thousands of migrants. — Nicole Winfield, chicagotribune.com, "Italian populists sworn into power as euroskeptics cheer birth of new government coalition," 1 June 2018 There was even chatter the Eagles should trade Foles; after all, the Eagles could have cashed in on Foles’s sky-high value from a quarterback-needy team. — Andrew Beaton, WSJ, "Saint Nick Foles Is Here to Save the Eagles. Again.," 28 Dec. 2018 Many turkey trots feature a charity component, such as requiring participants to bring canned goods to donate to needy families in the community. — Cheryl Wischhover, Vox, "Thanksgiving is now the most popular race day in America.," 20 Nov. 2018 However, critics like Christiaan Perez, a spokesman for LatinoJustice PRLDEF, say direct lease is too narrow to benefit most of the needy Puerto Rican families. — Patricia Mazzei, New York Times, "For Puerto Rican Storm Evacuees, Another Moving Day Looms," 30 June 2018 If your laptop-needy recipient won’t accept Windows and needs a high-end notebook for years to come, the 15-inch MacBook Pro is the way to go. — Jeff Dunn, Ars Technica, "The Ars Holiday Gift Guide 2018—good tech for the power user in your life," 4 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'needy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.