as in greed
an intense selfish desire for wealth or possessions
reports of great treasure in the Indies inflamed the cupidity of Columbus's crew
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Recent Examples of cupidity
Whether through invasion, subversion, or transaction, the stories of new conquests are always lit by moments of deviltry, cupidity, violence, and farce.
—
Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2026
Sarah Wynn-Williams’s damning memoir of working at Facebook exposes the predatory cupidity of the company’s executives.
—Rachel Nolan, The New York Review of Books, 9 May 2025
Pilgrimage, though couched in spiritual aims, often bordered on sheer cupidity.
—Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023
Céline often accused Rosembly of having stolen the manuscripts from his apartment in the chaos of the war’s end; certainly, Rosembly was imprisoned for looting various collaborators’ apartments in Montmartre, where Céline used to live, though whether out of revenge or cupidity is also unclear.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 15 June 2022
The meaning of cupidity: a strong desire for wealth.
—Dallas News, 1 June 2022
Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2026
Sarah Wynn-Williams’s damning memoir of working at Facebook exposes the predatory cupidity of the company’s executives.
—Rachel Nolan, The New York Review of Books, 9 May 2025
Pilgrimage, though couched in spiritual aims, often bordered on sheer cupidity.
—Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023
Céline often accused Rosembly of having stolen the manuscripts from his apartment in the chaos of the war’s end; certainly, Rosembly was imprisoned for looting various collaborators’ apartments in Montmartre, where Céline used to live, though whether out of revenge or cupidity is also unclear.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 15 June 2022
The meaning of cupidity: a strong desire for wealth.
—Dallas News, 1 June 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cupidity
greed
Noun
-
The moral fiber of this country is eroding fast, based on lack of love for one another, divisions in this country, greed, and the partisan bickering from American political leaders.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Its furnishings were anything but describable, having been conceived, manufactured, shipped, and sold in various states of thoughtlessness, greed, and indifference.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cupidity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cupidity. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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