needy

play

adjective \ ˈnē-dē \

Definition of needy

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.

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neediness

noun

See needy defined for English-language learners

See needy defined for kids

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 of needy from the Web

Winnipeg, Manitoba (AP) -- Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was back at a Habitat for Humanity worksite Friday, a day after he was hospitalized for dehydration while working with the organization to build homes for needy families in Canada.

— Bloomberg.com, "Spokeswoman: Jimmy Carter Out of Hospital After Rehydration," 14 July 2017
In the meantime, charities that actually serve needy Americans, rather than charge them for a limited selection of questionable services, continue to go overlooked.

— alexandra desanctis, National Review, "Planned Parenthood’s Lavish Private Donations," 13 July 2017
Of all the menstrual products nonprofits are trying to put in the hands of the world’s neediest people, cups are a simple, promising solution.

— abigail jones, MSNBC Newsweek, "The Period Movement: Meet the Men Fighting to Stop Menstruation-Shaming in the Developing World," 12 July 2017
O.K., so we humans are needy and could bond with a rock, depending on the circumstances.

— penelope green, New York Times, "‘Alexa, Where Have You Been All My Life?’," 11 July 2017
And for the truly needy and taxpayers everywhere, that’s really good news.

— nicholas horton, National Review, "Medicaid Reform: Three Lessons from Arkansas," 5 July 2017
It’s done exceptional work over the years, supporting other organizations, donating to the needy and restoring classics that might otherwise have faded from view.

— stephen galloway, The Hollywood Reporter, "Why the Academy Got It Right This Year With Its Invites," 30 June 2017
An amendment to add just $8 billion in funding to fund coverage for Americans with pre-existing conditions in states that could choose to opt out of Obamacare's protections for the medically needy under the AHCA.

— sy mukherjee, Fortune, "The Senate Health Care Bill Isn’t Really Dead. Here’s How It Could Still Pass.," 28 June 2017
All means the sick, the old, the poor, the unemployed and even politicians who'd rather give humongous tax breaks to the rich than decent health care to the needy.

— mary schmich, chicagotribune.com, "A new Declaration of Independence — from the Republican health care plan," 27 June 2017

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.

First Known Use of needy

12th century

needy Synonyms

Near Antonyms

comfortable, prosperous

NEEDY Defined for English Language Learners

needy

play

adjective

Definition of needy for English Language Learners

: not having enough money, food, etc., to live properly
: needing a lot of attention, affection, or emotional support

NEEDY Defined for Kids

needy

play

adjective \ ˈnē-dē \

Definition of needy for Students

needier; neediest

:very poor

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neediness

noun

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See words that rhyme with needy Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for needy Spanish Central: Translation of needy Nglish: Translation of needy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of needy for Arabic speakers

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NEEDY Defined for English Language Learners

needy

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