Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Excessively eager to acquire or possess something, especially material wealth or advantage: Describes a person or attitude characterized by an immoderate, often selfish, desire to obtain more than is needed or fair.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The landlord was criticized for being too grabby, constantly raising rents beyond what was reasonable.
  • She avoided doing business with him because of his grabby reputation in negotiations.
  • The company's grabby tactics to monopolize the market drew regulatory scrutiny.

Advanced Usage

• "grabby hands": A metaphorical or literal description of someone who is quick to take things for themselves.
  • Keep an eye on your snacks around him; he has grabby hands.
• Used informally to describe media (e.g., headlines, advertisements) that aggressively seek attention.
  • The article's grabby headline was designed to get more clicks online.

Variants and Related Words

• Grab (verb): To seize suddenly or quickly.
• Grasping (adjective): Eager to get money or possessions; avaricious. (A close synonym, often used in more formal contexts).
• Greedy (adjective): Having an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth or food. (A broader synonym).

Synonyms

• Avaricious: Having an extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
• Covetous: Having a great desire to possess something belonging to someone else.
• Acquisitive: Excessively interested in acquiring money or material things.
• Rapacious: Aggressively greedy or grasping.

Antonyms

• Generous: Showing a readiness to give more of something than is strictly necessary or expected.
• Altruistic: Showing a selfless concern for the well-being of others.
• Content: Satisfied with what one has; not wanting more.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Grabby as a toddler": An informal comparison implying a childish, uncontrolled desire to take things.
  • He was as grabby as a toddler when the free samples were passed around.
• "Have grabby tendencies": To exhibit a pattern of selfishly wanting to acquire things.
  • The manager's grabby tendencies made the employees distrustful.

Adjective

1. immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth
   • they are avaricious and will do anything for money
   • casting covetous eyes on his neighbor's fields
   • a grasping old miser
   • grasping commercialism
   • greedy for money and power
   • grew richer and greedier
   • prehensile employers stingy with raises for their employees