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greedy

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adjective

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective greedy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of greedy are acquisitive, avaricious, covetous, and grasping. While all these words mean "having or showing a strong desire for especially material possessions," greedy stresses lack of restraint and often of discrimination in desire.

greedy for status symbols

When is it sensible to use acquisitive instead of greedy?

In some situations, the words acquisitive and greedy are roughly equivalent. However, acquisitive implies both eagerness to possess and ability to acquire and keep.

an eagerly acquisitive mind

When is avaricious a more appropriate choice than greedy?

The words avaricious and greedy can be used in similar contexts, but avaricious implies obsessive acquisitiveness especially of money and strongly suggests stinginess.

an avaricious miser

Where would covetous be a reasonable alternative to greedy?

The meanings of covetous and greedy largely overlap; however, 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 greedy?

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

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 greediness
Noun
When kids didn’t withdraw, it was sometimes seen as greediness. Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025 Dummymandering Another possible problem for either party looking to gain some seats in this process stems from greediness. Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Horizen's greedy leadership, then, is thrilled by the arrival of a cutthroat AI (also played by Daniels, this time in a black wig) willing to maximize profits at any cost. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025 Given the already substantial spend on incoming transfers, suggesting the club needs more, possibly sending its spending past the $500 million mark, seems absurd, almost greedy. James Nalton, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for greediness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for greediness
Noun
  • Prosecutors have alleged that Mangione wanted to send a message about corporate greed.
    Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 12 Sep. 2025
  • But people can get very emotional about money, experiencing feelings from scarcity and fear to greed, anxiety, shame, and guilt.
    Gabriel Shahin, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Engineers still struggle to replicate a grasping human hand, or the hand-eye coordination of a human brain.
    Natan Linder, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • The imperial Presidency: Designs on Greenland, promises to take back the Panama Canal, threats of tariffs on countries ranging from Colombia to Taiwan—how did a President who once pledged isolationism become so grasping?
    Ian Crouch, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Sawflies are ravenous insects that feed on a wide variety of landscape trees, shrubs, and conifers.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Screwworms—or technically New World Screwworms (NWS)—are parasitic flies that spawn hundreds of ravenous larvae in the wounds and orifices of a wide range of warm-blooded animals.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This year’s Fall Preview consists of all the entertainment — from TV to video games to theater — that Vulture writers and editors are excited to consume this season.
    Justin Davidson, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The inclusion created viral moments around social media with BLACKPINK’s global fanbase excited to see the song’s inclusion and the Shazam charts showing clear curiosity from viewers to find out more about the music.
    Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • For most players, that amount of storage is realistically enough for all but the most covetous data hoarders.
    Matt Kamen, Wired News, 3 Aug. 2025
  • This is, in part, correct: Voldemort is extremely covetous of power.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • Its free lunch program for the homeless and hungry draws more than 200 people in a week, and a free drop-in mental health clinic operates from offices on-site.
    Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • But until now, such light sources required large, power-hungry tabletop systems.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In high school, Kirk became an avid listener of conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh, per NBC News.
    Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
  • These restaurants and dives, located in live music and entertainment across the Front Range, were recommended by friends and readers of The Denver Post, as well as avid concertgoers.
    Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Retail e-commerce penetration had surged during the pandemic, which brought a rush of acquisitive capital into the space.
    Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
  • Cybersecurity providers are becoming more acquisitive, with some looking to offer a full platform of products to customers that are seeking to save money by reducing vendors.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 30 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Greediness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/greediness. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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