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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in greed
an intense selfish desire for wealth or possessions
their all-consuming avariciousness blinds them to the suffering of people just beyond their doorstep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of avaricious
Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2017
Few places in the U.S. are more fraught with unresolved tension than South Dakota’s Black Hills, land stolen from the Sioux after treaties had been signed in order for avaricious Americans to pursue gold.
—Grayson Haver Currin, Outside Online, 7 July 2024
To make the situation even worse, many traders were smart, young, risk-loving, and avaricious.
—Alan S. Blinder, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2015
Code Words Across the centuries, the conspiracy theory of the manipulative, avaricious Jew has worn many faces, from Judas to Shylock to the Rothschilds.
—Alex Lemonides, New York Times, 9 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for avaricious
Adjective
Stalin’s apprenticeship in high-stakes diplomacy had shown him to be cunning but also opportunistic, avaricious, obdurate.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2017
Few places in the U.S. are more fraught with unresolved tension than South Dakota’s Black Hills, land stolen from the Sioux after treaties had been signed in order for avaricious Americans to pursue gold.
—Grayson Haver Currin, Outside Online, 7 July 2024
To make the situation even worse, many traders were smart, young, risk-loving, and avaricious.
—Alan S. Blinder, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2015
Code Words Across the centuries, the conspiracy theory of the manipulative, avaricious Jew has worn many faces, from Judas to Shylock to the Rothschilds.
—Alex Lemonides, New York Times, 9 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for avaricious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avaricious
Adjective
-
What the greedy developers are trying to do burns me to no end.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 May 2025
-
The beloved ruler was supposed to care about the wellbeing of his people, but the noblemen beneath him were greedy and indifferent.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
6 May 2025
Noun
-
There was some blowback to Walmart’s announcement, with some of President Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters accusing the company of greed and using tariffs as an excuse.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 May 2025
-
That move was derided as an example of the N.F.L.’s bottomless greed and willingness to abandon fans and their city in search of more money.—
Ken Belson,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Apple has detected mercenary spyware attacks on select iPhones and issued Threat Notifications to those affected, TechCrunch reports.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
2 May 2025
-
The most advanced phone-hacking technology sold by mercenary firms requires no target interaction and leaves no indication that the device has been tampered with.—
Ronald J. Deibert,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
And fans also will be eager to watch the team play again.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
28 May 2025
-
Against this backdrop of uncertainty, Dawkins is eager to get back on the court.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
Over its history OpenText has been an highly acquisitive company to build out its software stack.—
GuruFocus,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Banijay has been among the most acquisitive independent TV makers of recent years, and now reportedly has its sights on ITV.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Image Meet Me at the Crossroads by Megan Giddings The sudden appearance of seven mysterious doors across the world draws attention from religious sects, covetous billionaires and everyday people who speculate over what lies on the other side.—
Laura Thompson,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
-
His approach, on and off the pitch, has had a transformative effect and as Palace seek to secure him on a new contract, there have been covetous glances cast in his direction from clubs in the German Bundesliga.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Avaricious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avaricious. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share