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
Is Suzanna’s gloomy neediness all that different from Becky’s gold-digging manipulations?
—
Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026
Fontana is wearing a little thin on me with the constant neediness for approval.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026
But wanting emotional consistency is not neediness.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
She was sandwiched between their needinesses.
—Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
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
Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026
Fontana is wearing a little thin on me with the constant neediness for approval.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026
But wanting emotional consistency is not neediness.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
She was sandwiched between their needinesses.
—Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for neediness
Noun
-
The United Nations Development Programme reports that higher energy prices, disrupted food systems, and economic slowdowns triggered by the war could push up to thirty-two million people globally into poverty.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The art world has been in a recession for 15 years, galleries are closing, young collectors are holding back, and artists trying to make it in the major market centers are living on the brink of poverty.—
Magnus Resch,
ARTnews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Robertson grounds both versions of Niall in a sad-eyed misery, with Bell stepping in and giving the character grace notes of humor that don’t always seem to fit the story.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The show is a propulsive hurricane of misery and cringe, from the violent incident that sets off this series of unfortunate events to the twists and horrors that unfold.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Neediness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neediness. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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