as in avarice
an intense selfish desire for wealth or possessions
don't let greed for riches control you
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of greed
Because at its core, this legal drama that revolves around artificial intelligence is actually rooted in the very human impulses of kinship, greed, betrayal, and power.
—
Tom Dotan, Vanity Fair, 27 Apr. 2026
Fraud, lavish spending Prosecutors have alleged that the Hallfords were motivated by greed.
—Colleen Slevin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Far from corporate greed or anticompetitive behavior, competitive discounts driven by volume and supply chain efficiencies fuel free markets, helping families save money on groceries, appliances, TVs, cellphones, computers and cars.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
That conversation turned into a broader, more impassioned look into the singer’s environmental views, from battling corporate greed and his conversations with Jane Goodall to disagreements with Elon Musk on the need to colonize Mars.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for greed
Tom Dotan, Vanity Fair, 27 Apr. 2026
Fraud, lavish spending Prosecutors have alleged that the Hallfords were motivated by greed.
—Colleen Slevin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Far from corporate greed or anticompetitive behavior, competitive discounts driven by volume and supply chain efficiencies fuel free markets, helping families save money on groceries, appliances, TVs, cellphones, computers and cars.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
That conversation turned into a broader, more impassioned look into the singer’s environmental views, from battling corporate greed and his conversations with Jane Goodall to disagreements with Elon Musk on the need to colonize Mars.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for greed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for greed
Noun
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The novel used all these tensions to propel a study of greed, avarice, and racial divisions between the haves and have nots, leading to McCoy getting his comeuppance.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
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One reason for targeting Ashaal could have been run-of-the-mill avarice.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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People in the comments shared in the woman’s frustration, agreeing that her mother's greediness needs to be addressed.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
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When kids didn’t withdraw, it was sometimes seen as greediness.—
Mary Frances Ruskell,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The French—and, later, Anglo (Wilde, Beardsley, Rossetti)—attitude, mannered and morbid, was perhaps too Old World, at odds with our cheerful, Protestant rapacity.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
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Unlike the specialized literary magazine and its informal cousin, the literary blog, the general-interest newspaper has a kind of noble rapacity, an encyclopedic ambition to wrap its arms around the whole of the world.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Following too closely in its protagonist’s footsteps, The Queen of Versailles presents only two options — tough but spiritually fulfilling material deprivation or unconstrained acquisitiveness.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Whether through invasion, subversion, or transaction, the stories of new conquests are always lit by moments of deviltry, cupidity, violence, and farce.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
27 Jan. 2026
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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
Noun
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In mid-April, Meghan Trainor also called off her entire arena tour, citing a desire to spend time with her young children.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
2 May 2026
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Renewable energy The global oil crisis has only deepened the desire by many countries to transition to clean energy, which could be a boon for the sector.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
Noun
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Simple fasting from food can be ruined — rendered not pleasing to Allah — if spoiled by telling lies, slander, denouncing someone behind his back, swearing a false oath, greed or covetousness.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Building up a man whose appetite, whose isolation, whose just general hunger to dominate, making that character and then giving him this one lifeline to humanity in Vanessa — that’s all calculated.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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The final nail in the coffin may have been Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, a 2012 juggernaut that primed the public for twisty, femme-centric thrillers—a hunger that still hasn’t faded.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Greed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/greed. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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