envy 1 of 2

Definition of envynext
as in jealousy
a painful awareness of another's possessions or advantages and a desire to have them too their envy of their neighbor's fancy home threatened to wreck their friendship

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

envy

2 of 2

verb

as in to resent
to have a resentful awareness of and desire for (another's possessions or advantages) or to feel resentment toward (someone) over possessions or advantages her coworkers envied her chummy relationship with the senior vice president they envied him because he didn't have to work for a living

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 envy
Noun
Brewery District Just east of downtown, Reno hides a rising craft-beverage hub that’d be the envy of a much bigger city. Ted Alvarez, Outside, 4 Mar. 2026 Your breakfast will be the envy of the carpool. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
Pierson walks me through the kind of workplace you’re supposed to envy. Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026 On the other side of town, the Los Angeles Dodgers have become the franchise envied by fans and teams alike given their massive spending spree and utilizing deferred money to field an All-Star roster that continues to get better by the year. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for envy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for envy
Noun
  • Over years and then decades, the two women’s relationship swings between fierce sisterhood, bitter jealousy and an uneasy combination of the two.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 22 Mar. 2026
  • When Joosua, the black sheep of the family, suddenly returns and appears to perform a miracle, his brother Elias is consumed by jealousy.
    Marta Balaga, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • So, on top of everything else, snoring might give our spouses another reason to resent their mothers-in-law.
    Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Many people, Hattori said, resent the territories' lack of representation in Congress.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Murphy Austin condemns antisemitism, violence, and acts of hatred in any form.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
  • But it was inspired out of just seething hatred.
    Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Beef does something similar, translating immigrant frustration into the visual vocabulary of an American thriller, animated by distinctly Korean notions of family honor, shame, resentment and parental pressure.
    Dan Bilefsky, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 2026
  • On my part, coming into it, something that became more and more important was that Santos is not left to hold these resentments alone.
    Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Envy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/envy. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.

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