covetous
/'kʌvitəs/
Definition
Adjective: 1. Having or showing a great desire to possess something, typically something belonging to another person. This meaning emphasizes an envious, often painful, longing for another's advantages, possessions, or qualities. 2. Excessively and greedily desirous of wealth or material gain. This meaning emphasizes avarice and an insatiable desire to acquire and hoard money or possessions.
Usage and Examples
- As an adjective describing a person's character:
- He was never covetous before he met her and saw her luxurious lifestyle.
- The covetous nobleman plotted to seize the land from the farmer.
- As an adjective describing a look, thought, or feeling:
- She cast a covetous glance at her neighbor's new car.
- His covetous desire for fame led him to make poor decisions.
- Used with the preposition "of":
- He was covetous of his brother's success.
- They grew covetous of their rivals' profitable business.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- Moral and Literary Connotation: "Covetous" often carries a strong moral or judgmental tone, implying that the desire is wrong, excessive, or sinful. It is frequently used in religious and literary contexts (e.g., "Thou shalt not covet" from the Ten Commandments).
- Painful Desire: The word can imply that the longing itself causes discontent or unhappiness, as the object is out of reach or belongs to someone else.
- Formality: It is more formal and less common in everyday speech than synonyms like "greedy" or "envious."
Variants and Related Words
- Covet (verb): To desire wrongfully, inordinately, or without due regard for the rights of others.
- He coveted the championship title for years.
- Covetously (adverb): In a covetous manner.
- She looked covetously at the jewelry in the display case.
- Covetousness (noun): The quality or state of being covetous.
- His covetousness was his ultimate downfall.
Synonyms
- Avaricious: Insatiable greed for riches; emphasizing hoarding wealth.
- Grasping: Eager to get and hold, especially money; often suggests a lack of scruples.
- Greedy: Intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth or food; a more general term.
- Envious: A feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck. "Envious" focuses more on resentment, while "covetous" focuses more on the active desire to possess.
- Jealous: Very concerned about protecting one's own advantages or possessions; can also imply envy. "Jealous" often involves suspicion or rivalry, whereas "covetous" is a pure, acquisitive desire.
Idioms and Phrases
- With covetous eyes: Looking at something with a strong desire to possess it.
- The collectors looked upon the rare painting with covetous eyes.
- Covetous of: The standard prepositional phrase used with this adjective, as shown in the examples above.
Adjective
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immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth
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they are avaricious and will do anything for money
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casting covetous eyes on his neighbor's fields
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a grasping old miser
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grasping commercialism
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greedy for money and power
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grew richer and greedier
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prehensile employers stingy with raises for their employees
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showing extreme cupidity; painfully desirous of another's advantages
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he was never covetous before he met her
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jealous of his success and covetous of his possessions
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envious of their art collection
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