Meaning & use
jealous
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Unhappy and resentful because someone else has something good that you want.
Grammar: Often followed by of: jealous of her success.
Patterns
- jealous of someone
- jealous of something
He was jealous of his friend's new bike.
I felt jealous when she won the prize.
The jealous neighbor refused to congratulate them.
adjectivecomparable
Afraid that someone you love may prefer another person, and angry about it.
Grammar: Used in relationships; often followed by of: jealous of the new coworker.
Patterns
- jealous of someone
- get jealous
She became jealous when her partner talked to his ex.
The dog grew jealous of the new baby.
He is a jealous husband who checks her phone.
adjectivebefore a nounformal
Protecting what you have carefully and not wanting to share it.
Grammar: Often used with guard: jealously guard a secret.
Patterns
- jealous of something
The chef is jealous of his family recipes.
She kept a jealous watch on her reputation.
The village is jealous of its independence.
Word forms
| comparative | more jealous |
|---|---|
| superlative | most jealous |
Common combinations
- jealous of
- I'm jealous of your long holiday.
- green with jealousy
- Her friends were green with jealousy over the trip.
- get jealous
- Don't get jealous; it's only a game.
- jealous rage
- He flew into a jealous rage.
- jealous guard
- He kept a jealous guard on his work.
- deeply jealous
- She was deeply jealous of her sister's talent.
Synonyms and how they differ
- envious
- Envious simply means wanting what someone has, while jealous often adds fear of losing someone's love.
- resentful
- Resentful stresses bitterness about unfair treatment, but jealous is tied to someone else's advantages.
- covetous
- Covetous is formal and means strongly wanting something that belongs to another.
- possessive
- Possessive describes controlling behavior toward a person or thing, whereas jealous describes the feeling.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: jealous or envious?
jealous vs envious
Envious means wanting what someone else has, while jealous often involves fear of losing what you already have.
Practice
Anna felt ___ of her brother because he got a bigger room.
Choose one answer.
Jealous of fits a feeling of resentment about someone's advantage. Proud, afraid and bored take different patterns or meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “jealous”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.