If someone is jealous, they feel angry or bitter because they think that another person is trying to take a lover or friend, or a possession, away from them.
She got insanely jealous and there was a terrible fight.
Synonyms: suspicious, suspecting, guarded, protective More Synonyms of jealous
jealouslyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
The formula is jealously guarded.
2. adjective
If you are jealousof another person's possessions or qualities, you feel angry or bitter because you donot have them.
She was jealous of his wealth. [+ of]
You're jealous because the record company rejected your idea.
jealouslyadverb [ADVERB after verb]
Gloria eyed them jealously.
More Synonyms of jealous
jealous in British English
(ˈdʒɛləs)
adjective
1.
suspicious or fearful of being displaced by a rival
a jealous lover
2. (oftenpostpositive and foll by of)
resentful (of) or vindictive (towards), esp through envy
a child jealous of his brother
3. (oftenpostpositive and foll by of)
possessive and watchful in the maintenance or protection (of)
jealous of one's reputation
4.
characterized by or resulting from jealousy
5. obsolete or biblical
demanding exclusive loyalty
a jealous God
6. an obsolete word for zealous
Derived forms
jealously (ˈjealously)
adverb
jealousness (ˈjealousness)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French gelos, from Medieval Latin zēlōsus, from Late Latin zēlus emulation, jealousy, from Greek zēloszeal
jealous in American English
(ˈdʒɛləs)
adjective
1.
very watchful or careful in guarding or keeping
jealous of one's rights
2.
a.
resentfully suspicious of a rival or a rival's influence
a husband jealous of other men
b.
resentfully envious
c.
resulting from such feelings
a jealous rage
3. Rare
requiring exclusive loyalty
the Lord is a jealous God
Derived forms
jealously (ˈjealously)
adverb
jealousness (ˈjealousness)
noun
Word origin
ME jelous < OFr gelos < ML zelosus: see zeal
Examples of 'jealous' in a sentence
jealous
Some spouses tend to nag or criticise each other; others may be jealous or possessive.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's important to be kind to a jealous friend.
The Sun (2016)
I get jealous when a friend has success?
The Sun (2016)
She was always a bit jealous of her friends in AA.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
She messages me all the time but I still feel jealous and scared.
The Sun (2016)
He fancies her like crazy and I feel so jealous.
The Sun (2016)
Of course, it's human nature you sometimes feel jealous.
The Sun (2016)
See how your boyfriend behaves once he has no reason to feel jealous.
The Sun (2008)
She has had to fend off malicious rumours about affairs with celebrities spread by jealous rivals.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
And an angry and a jealous one at that.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We used to have lots of rows as he was very jealous and possessive.
The Sun (2015)
An initial line of inquiry was that he was killed by a jealous lover.
The Sun (2015)
It seems they are bitter and jealous.
The Sun (2015)
You find a tactful way to help a friend with a jealous mind.
The Sun (2011)
It makes me feel jealous and rejected.
The Sun (2012)
It is thought a jealous rival tipped off officers.
The Sun (2009)
My elder brother became jealous of me.
Turner, Janine Behind Closed Doors - advice for families with violence in the home (1988)
He wants to be a woman so much he's jealous and resentful of them.
The Sun (2009)
Or only a petty, jealous one?
Christianity Today (2000)
He felt half angry and jealous of Martin.
Thomas Hughes Tom Brown's Schooldays (1857)
A jealous person is totally egotistical and not at all interested in the needs of their partner.
Vera Peiffer POSITIVE THINKING: Everything you have always known about positive thinking but wereafraid to put into practice (2001)
In other languages
jealous
British English: jealous /ˈdʒɛləs/ ADJECTIVE
If someone is jealous, they feel angry because they think that another person is trying to take away someone or something that they love.
He got jealous and there was a fight.
American English: jealous
Arabic: غَيُورٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: ciumento
Chinese: 妒忌的
Croatian: ljubomoran
Czech: žárlivý
Danish: jaloux
Dutch: jaloers
European Spanish: celoso
Finnish: mustasukkainen
French: jaloux
German: eifersüchtig
Greek: ζηλιάρης
Italian: geloso
Japanese: 嫉妬深い
Korean: 질투하는
Norwegian: sjalu
Polish: zazdrosny
European Portuguese: ciumento
Romanian: gelos
Russian: ревнивый
Latin American Spanish: celoso
Swedish: svartsjuk
Thai: อิจฉา
Turkish: kıskanç
Ukrainian: ревнивий
Vietnamese: ghen tị
Chinese translation of 'jealous'
jealous
(ˈdʒɛləs)
adj
(= possessive)[husband, wife]爱(愛)妒忌的 (ài dùjì de)
(= envious) 妒忌的 (dùjì de)
to be jealous of sb/sth忌妒某人/某事 (dùjì mǒurén/mǒushì)
1 (adjective)
Definition
suspicious or fearful of being displaced by a rival
She got insanely jealous and there was a terrible fight.
Synonyms
suspicious
He has his father's suspicious nature.
suspecting
guarded
protective
He is very protective towards his sisters.
wary
My mother always told me to be wary of strangers.
doubtful
Why did he sound so doubtful?
sceptical
scientists who are sceptical about global warming
attentive
anxious
She admitted she was still anxious about the situation.
apprehensive
People are still terribly apprehensive about the future.
vigilant
watchful
Children swam at the pool, under the watchful eye of the lifeguards.
zealous
possessive
solicitous
distrustful
Voters are distrustful of all politicians.
mistrustful
Fletcher had become taciturn and mistrustful of the media.
unbelieving
He looked at me with unbelieving eyes.
Opposites
trusting
,
indifferent
,
carefree
2 (adjective)
Definition
envious
I have never sought to make my readers jealous of my megastar lifestyle.
Synonyms
envious
I think she is envious of your success.
grudging
resentful
He turned away in a resentful silence.
begrudging
green
Collectors worldwide will turn green with envy.
intolerant
green-eyed
invidious
green with envy
desirous
covetous
His sports car was attracting covetous stares.
emulous
Opposites
satisfied
Additional synonyms
in the sense of anxious
Definition
causing anxiety
She admitted she was still anxious about the situation.
Synonyms
uneasy,
concerned,
worried,
troubled,
upset,
careful,
wired (slang),
nervous,
disturbed,
distressed,
uncomfortable,
tense,
fearful,
unsettled,
restless,
agitated,
taut,
disquieted,
apprehensive,
edgy,
watchful,
jittery (informal),
perturbed,
on edge,
ill at ease,
twitchy (informal),
solicitous,
overwrought,
fretful,
on tenterhooks,
in suspense,
hot and bothered,
unquiet (literary),
like a fish out of water,
antsy (informal),
angsty,
on pins and needles,
discomposed
in the sense of apprehensive
Definition
fearful or anxious about the future
People are still terribly apprehensive about the future.
Synonyms
anxious,
concerned,
worried,
afraid,
alarmed,
nervous,
suspicious,
doubtful,
uneasy,
fearful,
disquieted,
foreboding,
twitchy (informal),
mistrustful,
antsy (informal)
in the sense of covetous
Definition
jealously longing to possess something
His sports car was attracting covetous stares.
Synonyms
envious,
jealous,
yearning,
greedy,
acquisitive,
rapacious,
avaricious,
grasping,
mercenary
Synonyms of 'jealous'
jealous
Explore 'jealous' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of distrustful
Voters are distrustful of all politicians.
Synonyms
suspicious,
doubting,
wary,
cynical,
doubtful,
sceptical,
uneasy,
dubious,
distrusting,
disbelieving,
leery (slang),
mistrustful,
chary
in the sense of doubtful
Definition
unsure or uncertain
Why did he sound so doubtful?
Synonyms
unsure,
uncertain,
hesitant,
suspicious,
hesitating,
sceptical,
unsettled,
tentative,
wavering,
unresolved,
perplexed,
undecided,
unconvinced,
vacillating,
leery (slang),
distrustful,
in two minds (informal),
irresolute
in the sense of green
Collectors worldwide will turn green with envy.
Synonyms
jealous,
grudging,
resentful,
envious,
covetous
in the sense of mistrustful
Fletcher had become taciturn and mistrustful of the media.
Synonyms
suspicious,
nervous,
cautious,
uncertain,
wary,
cynical,
doubtful,
sceptical,
dubious,
fearful,
hesitant,
apprehensive,
leery (slang),
distrustful,
chary
in the sense of protective
Definition
tending or wishing to protect someone
He is very protective towards his sisters.
Synonyms
caring,
defensive,
motherly,
fatherly,
warm,
careful,
maternal,
vigilant,
watchful,
paternal,
possessive
in the sense of resentful
He turned away in a resentful silence.
Synonyms
bitter,
hurt,
wounded,
angry,
offended,
put out,
jealous,
choked,
pissed (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
incensed,
grudging,
exasperated,
aggrieved,
indignant,
pissed off (taboo, slang),
irate,
miffed (informal),
embittered,
unforgiving,
peeved (informal),
in a huff,
piqued,
huffy,
in high dudgeon,
revengeful,
huffish,
tooshie (Australian, slang)
in the sense of sceptical
scientists who are sceptical about global warming
Synonyms
doubtful,
cynical,
dubious,
questioning,
doubting,
hesitating,
scoffing,
hesitant,
unconvinced,
disbelieving,
incredulous,
quizzical,
mistrustful,
unbelieving
in the sense of unbelieving
He looked at me with unbelieving eyes.
Synonyms
sceptical,
doubting,
suspicious,
doubtful,
dubious,
unconvinced,
disbelieving,
incredulous,
distrustful
in the sense of wary
Definition
cautious or on one's guard
My mother always told me to be wary of strangers.
Synonyms
suspicious,
sceptical,
mistrustful,
suspecting,
guarded,
apprehensive,
cagey (informal),
leery (slang),
distrustful,
on your guard,
chary,
heedful
in the sense of watchful
Definition
carefully observing everything that happens
Children swam at the pool, under the watchful eye of the lifeguards.