What does "greedy" mean?
Having greed; consumed by selfish desires.
Greedy
/ˈɡɹiːdi/ adj
adj ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Having greed; consumed by selfish desires.
- Grammar: greedy is listed as adj.
- Nearest alternatives: avaricious, covetous, grasping, a hog for.
- Useful contrasts: benevolent act, charitable, charitable work.
- Usage evidence: A miser hoards money not because he is prudent but because he is greedy.
How to use "greedy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "greedy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "greedy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "greedy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "greedy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "greedy" is acting as adj in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "avaricious" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "greedy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Having greed; consumed by selfish desires.
"For with ſuch puiſſance and impetuous maine / Thoſe Champions broke on them, that forſt the fly, / Like ſcattered Sheepe, whenas the Shepherds ſwaine / A Lyon and a Tigre doth eſpye, / With greedy pace forth ruſhing from the foreſt nye."
- 2 Prone to overeat.
- 3 Tending to match as much text as possible.
"This regular expression performs a greedy match."
- 4 That tries to find the global optimum by finding the local optimum at each stage.
- 5 Greedily sought or pursued. archaic
"Suppoſe they be in number infinit, Yet being voyd of Martiall diſcipline, All running headlong after greedie ſpoiles: […] Their careleſſe ſwords ſhal lanch their fellows throats And make vs triumph in their ouerthrow."
Adjective
- 1 wanting to eat or drink more than one can reasonably consume wordnet
- 2 immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth wordnet
- 3 (often followed by ‘for’) ardently or excessively desirous wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"A miser hoards money not because he is prudent but because he is greedy."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "greedy"?
Common synonyms include: avaricious, covetous, grasping, a hog for, acquiring, acquisitive.
How do you use "greedy" in a sentence?
A miser hoards money not because he is prudent but because he is greedy.
How do you pronounce "greedy"?
Pronounced /ˈɡɹiːdi/.
Etymology
From Middle English gredy, from Anglian Old English grēdiġ (“greedy, hungry, eager”) (cognate West Saxon form grǣdiġ), from Proto-Germanic *grēdagaz (“hungry”), from Proto-Germanic *grēdaz, *grēduz, *grēdô (“hunger”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰer-. Equivalent to greed + -y. Cognate with Old Saxon grādag (“greedy”), Dutch graag (“gladly, willingly”), Old High German grātag (“greedy”), Danish grådig (“greedy”), Norwegian Bokmål grådig (“greedy”) (from Old Norse gráðigr (“greedy”), gráði (“greed, hunger”)), Gothic 𐌲𐍂𐌴𐌳𐌰𐌲𐍃 (grēdags, “hungry”). Sanskrit गृद्धि (gṛddhi, “greed”) is a false cognate.