as in poverty
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
a family's general level of neediness is the determining factor in the allocation of charitable donations
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Recent Examples of neediness
On the second take, Russell’s bossy tone rubbed up nicely against the neediness of the moment.
—
Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
As Koestler observes, crying is a signal not just of surrender but of neediness, designed to elicit succor and comfort from sympathizers.
—Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
Still, Shannon is down in the dumps and annoyed by Tamra’s neediness to be forgiven for past sins.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Yet there’s always a childlike sense to both his anger and his neediness, having been denied the milk of human kindness by his maker.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
As Koestler observes, crying is a signal not just of surrender but of neediness, designed to elicit succor and comfort from sympathizers.
—Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
Still, Shannon is down in the dumps and annoyed by Tamra’s neediness to be forgiven for past sins.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Yet there’s always a childlike sense to both his anger and his neediness, having been denied the milk of human kindness by his maker.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for neediness
Noun
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Nardal’s articles also grappled with other pressing issues of the day, including violence and poverty.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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Arrivals of asylum-seekers and other migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa for Europe over the past decade helped fuel rising far-right populism and led to stricter border controls that have drawn heavy criticism from human rights groups.—
Sam McNeil,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Springsteen grew up alongside rock’n’roll, absorbing its origin story and waiting for the day when his ability to write a killer riff would transport him from the misery of living with a father who didn’t understand him, shut off from a world that promised so much but gave so little.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
24 Oct. 2025
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Whether the Monster is part of Ana’s imagination or not, the scene carries a fragile, haunting power, suggesting that the only person capable of rescuing Ana from the pervasive mystery and misery of her home life belongs to the supernatural, outside the punishing borders of Franco’s Spain.—
Rory Doherty,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Neediness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neediness. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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