greedy
adjective
ˈgrē-dē 
greedier; greediest
1
: marked by greed : having or showing a selfish desire for wealth and possessions
greedy creditors
2
: eager, keen
greedy for fame
3
: having a strong desire for food or drink
a predator greedy of its prey
greedily
ˈgrē-də-lē
adverb greediness
ˈgrē-dē-nəs
noun 
Synonyms
- acquisitive
- avaricious
- avid
- coveting
- covetous
- grabby
- grasping
- mercenary
- moneygrubbing
- rapacious
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He was a ruthless and greedy businessman. There's no need to get greedy—there's plenty for everyone. He blames all his problems on greedy lawyers.
Recent Examples on the Web The rival ticketing company executive says Ticketmaster is certainly greedy, but that there’s no inherent malfeasance about utilizing dynamic pricing per the artist’s wishes. 
Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 30 Aug. 2022 The Nazis were greedy, for starters, but the story is rooted — of course — in their brutal anti-Semitism. Joel Mathis, The Week, 23 Aug. 2022 Initially somewhat of a foil to Ed, Dexter eventually teams up with him to help bring down a competitor burger chain led by a greedy corporation. Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 18 Aug. 2022 VPNs can be brought down by vulnerabilities, unencrypted servers, greedy data brokers, or by being owned by Facebook. Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 17 Aug. 2022 Quantum theory redeems black holes from being the greedy monsters they are made out to be. Ahmed Almheiri, Scientific American, 17 Aug. 2022 Manta’s webcomic version will follow Woongjae, a greedy pastor with a spending problem who takes up a case to investigate a cult when the gig promises a hefty sum. Ej Panaligan, Variety, 16 Aug. 2022 The perception that borrowers are inherently needy and lenders greedy stubbornly persists. Adam Rowe, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 The second recalls 2019, in which there’s a significant disconnect between greedy sellers and realistic bidders. Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 11 Aug. 2022 See More
Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 30 Aug. 2022 The Nazis were greedy, for starters, but the story is rooted — of course — in their brutal anti-Semitism. Joel Mathis, The Week, 23 Aug. 2022 Initially somewhat of a foil to Ed, Dexter eventually teams up with him to help bring down a competitor burger chain led by a greedy corporation. Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 18 Aug. 2022 VPNs can be brought down by vulnerabilities, unencrypted servers, greedy data brokers, or by being owned by Facebook. Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 17 Aug. 2022 Quantum theory redeems black holes from being the greedy monsters they are made out to be. Ahmed Almheiri, Scientific American, 17 Aug. 2022 Manta’s webcomic version will follow Woongjae, a greedy pastor with a spending problem who takes up a case to investigate a cult when the gig promises a hefty sum. Ej Panaligan, Variety, 16 Aug. 2022 The perception that borrowers are inherently needy and lenders greedy stubbornly persists. Adam Rowe, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 The second recalls 2019, in which there’s a significant disconnect between greedy sellers and realistic bidders. Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 11 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English gredy, from Old English grǣdig; akin to Old High German grātac greedy
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Kids Definition
greedy
adjective
ˈgrē-dē
greedier; greediest
1
: having or showing a selfish desire for more than is needed
2
: having a strong appetite for food or drink : very hungry
3
: very eager to have something
She's greedy for power.
greedy
adjective
1
as in avaricious
having or marked by an eager and often selfish desire especially for material possessions a young rocker who was greedy for fame and riches the greedy exploitation of the land by developers Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- avaricious
- mercenary
- eager
- covetous
- acquisitive
- desirous
- grasping
- coveting
- moneygrubbing
- rapacious
- avid
- grabby
- materialistic
- discontented
- miserly
- piggish
- ravenous
- gluttonous
- insatiable
- egocentric
- discontent
- piggy
- egotistical
- hoggish
- egoistical
- unsatisfied
- egotistic
- voracious
- egoistic
- devouring
- gobbling
- self-centered
- resentful
- itchy
- unquenchable
- lickerish
- commercialistic
- swinish
- philistine
- malcontent
- grudging
- begrudging
- self-seeking
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- generous
- altruistic
- liberal
- magnanimous
- unselfish
- selfless
- charitable
- handsome
- munificent
- bountiful
- controlled
- bounteous
- restrained
- satisfied
- moderate
- unsparing
- nonmaterialistic
- openhanded
- content
- temperate
- openhearted
- sated
- freehanded
- greathearted
2
as in ravenous
having a huge appetite he's so greedy you have to carefully watch your plate during dinner, lest he snatch food off it Synonyms & Similar Words
- ravenous
- hungry
- gluttonous
- piggish
- rapacious
- starving
- voracious
- starved
- hoggish
- swinish
- edacious
- esurient
- insatiable
- wolfish
- devouring
- gobbling
- gorging
- famished
- unquenchable
- gormandizing
- gulping
- malnourished
- underfed
- undernourished
- peckish
- hearty
- empty
- unslakable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- satisfied
- stuffed
- full
- content
- sated
- glutted
- satiated
3
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest he's greedy for new assignments that will really challenge him Synonyms & Similar Words
- excited
- avid
- eager
- hungry
- enthusiastic
- anxious
- impatient
- ardent
- voracious
- keen
- thirsty
- happy
- pumped
- nuts
- interested
- solicitous
- crazy
- desirous
- enthused
- antsy
- athirst
- wild
- stoked
- great
- covetous
- juiced
- obsessed
- willing
- raring
- ready
- geeked
- agog
- ambitious
- gung ho
- hot
- chomping at the bit
- hopped-up
- champing at the bit
- hepped up
- engaged
- restless
- longing
- craving
- glad
- pining
- hankering
- hung up
- restive
- breathless
- game
- inclined
- amenable
- appetent
- disposed
- unreluctant
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- indifferent
- apathetic
- uninterested
- unconcerned
- disinterested
- unenthusiastic
- casual
- aloof
- nonchalant
- incurious
- detached
- insouciant
- reluctant
- unwilling
- impassive
- stolid
- lackadaisical
- uneager
- hesitant
- spiritless
- lukewarm
- languid
- averse
- halfhearted
- loath
- loth
- loathe
- languorous
- disinclined
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of greedy are acquisitive, avaricious, covetous, and grasping. While all these words mean "having or showing a strong desire for especially material possessions," greedy stresses lack of restraint and often of discrimination in desire.
greedy for status symbols
In some situations, the words acquisitive and greedy are roughly equivalent. However, acquisitive implies both eagerness to possess and ability to acquire and keep.
an eagerly acquisitive mind
The words avaricious and greedy can be used in similar contexts, but avaricious implies obsessive acquisitiveness especially of money and strongly suggests stinginess.
an avaricious miser
The meanings of covetous and greedy largely overlap; however, covetous implies inordinate desire often for another's possessions.
covetous of his brother's country estate
Grasping adds to covetous and greedy an implication of selfishness and often suggests unfair or ruthless means.
a hard grasping businesswoman who cheated her associates