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Meaning & use

envious

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈen.vi.əs/
US/ˈen.vi.əs/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Wanting something that another person has, such as their success, talent, or belongings, and feeling a little bitter that you do not have it.

    Grammar: Usually followed by of: she was envious of her sister's freedom.

    Patterns

    • envious of someone
    • envious of something
    • envious that something happened

    Tom was envious of his neighbor's new garden.

    She gave him an envious glance when he mentioned his month-long trip.

    Many students are envious of classmates who find exams easy.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    Showing or full of the feeling of wanting what someone else has.

    Grammar: Used before a noun to describe a look, tone, or remark: an envious sigh.

    He let out an envious sigh at the sight of the sports car.

    The team's results drew envious looks from rival clubs.

    There was an envious edge to her congratulations.

Word forms

comparativemore envious
superlativemost envious

Common combinations

envious of someone
I am envious of anyone who can sleep on a plane.
an envious glance
He cast an envious glance at the dessert trolley.
feel envious
I couldn't help feeling envious when she showed us her photos.
deeply envious
Deeply envious of his friend's promotion, he stayed quiet at the party.
envious eyes
The new bikes were admired by envious eyes all along the street.

Synonyms and how they differ

jealous
Jealous often adds a fear of losing something you already have, such as a partner, whereas envious is simply wanting what someone else has.
covetous
Covetous is stronger and more formal, suggesting a greedy longing to possess a particular thing.
resentful
Resentful stresses anger about perceived unfairness, while envious can be mild and even good-humored.
green with envy
This idiom is informal and more dramatic, used to stress how strongly someone feels.

Opposites

contentsatisfied

Word family

envy noun
the feeling of wanting what others have
envy verb
to feel this about someone or something
enviable adjective
so good that others would like to have it
enviably adverb
in a way that makes others envious
enviously adverb
in an envious manner

Commonly confused: envious or enviable? envious or jealous?

envious vs enviable

Enviable describes the thing that causes envy (an enviable salary), whereas envious describes the person who feels it.

envious vs jealous

Jealous covers fear of losing someone's affection as well as wanting what another has; envious does not usually include that fear.

Practice

Maya looked ___ her friend's new apartment, wishing she could afford something similar.

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