Synonyms of avaricious

avaricious

adjective

ˌa-və-ˈri-shəs 

as in greedy

having or marked by an eager and often selfish desire especially for material possessions

an avaricious scheme to con the elderly couple out of thousands of dollars

Synonyms & Similar Words

• greedy
• mercenary
• eager
• desirous
• acquisitive
• covetous
• avid
• rapacious
• grasping
• coveting
• moneygrubbing
• grabby
• materialistic
• egotistical
• miserly
• insatiable
• discontented
• egoistical
• piggish
• ravenous
• gluttonous
• hoggish
• egocentric
• piggy
• unquenchable
• voracious
• discontent
• unsatisfied
• egotistic
• devouring
• egoistic
• swinish
• itchy
• lickerish
• grudging
• commercialistic
• resentful
• self-centered
• malcontent
• begrudging
• gobbling
• self-seeking
• philistine

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• generous
• liberal
• altruistic
• charitable
• handsome
• unselfish
• magnanimous
• munificent
• selfless
• bountiful
• controlled
• bounteous
• unsparing
• restrained
• moderate
• nonmaterialistic
• temperate
• openhanded
• content
• openhearted
• satisfied
• sated
• freehanded
• greathearted

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective avaricious differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of avaricious are acquisitive, covetous, grasping, and greedy. While all these words mean "having or showing a strong desire for especially material possessions," avaricious implies obsessive acquisitiveness especially of money and strongly suggests stinginess.

an avaricious miser

When is it sensible to use acquisitive instead of avaricious?

Although the words acquisitive and avaricious have much in common, acquisitive implies both eagerness to possess and ability to acquire and keep.

an eagerly acquisitive mind

In what contexts can covetous take the place of avaricious?

The words covetous and avaricious can be used in similar contexts, but covetous implies inordinate desire often for another's possessions.

covetous of his brother's country estate

How does the word grasping relate to other synonyms for avaricious?

Grasping adds to covetous and greedy an implication of selfishness and often suggests unfair or ruthless means.

a hard grasping businesswoman who cheated her associates

When might greedy be a better fit than avaricious?

The meanings of greedy and avaricious largely overlap; however, greedy stresses lack of restraint and often of discrimination in desire.

greedy for status symbols

Examples of avaricious in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Among their missions: persuading an avaricious finance god (Liev Schreiber) and a rising politician (Succession’s Zoe Winters) to care about climate change. —Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2023

Fans of shows like Gossip Girl and Succession and novels like The Bonfire of the Vanities and The Guest will recognize the physical settings and the avaricious characters McDonell writes about. —Norman Vanamee, Town & Country, 3 Aug. 2023

Behold how one progressive state is weaponizing federal environmental law to block a tax by an avaricious progressive neighbor. —The Editorial Board, WSJ, 24 July 2023

The Gospel reading at the Third Baptist Church on this cool early-summer Sunday is from Luke, who relates the story of a meeting between Jesus and a particularly avaricious tax collector. —Scott Wilson, Washington Post, 24 June 2023