jealousy
Americannoun
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jealous resentment against a rival, a person enjoying success or advantage, etc., or against another's success or advantage itself.
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mental uneasiness from suspicion or fear of rivalry, unfaithfulness, etc., as in love or aims.
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vigilance in maintaining or guarding something.
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a jealous feeling, disposition, state, or mood.
noun
Usage
What does jealousy mean? Jealousy is a feeling or state of resentment, bitterness, or hostility toward someone because they have something that you don’t. Jealousy usually occurs as a result of someone owning something you want but can’t have or having achieved some kind of success that you want to achieve but have not been able to. This sense of jealousy is very similar in meaning to envy, which refers to a mostly negative feeling of desire for something that someone else has and you do not—like a mix of admiration and discontent. However, while envy is not necessarily malicious, jealousy usually implies a deeper resentment, perhaps because you feel that you deserve the thing more than the other person, or that it is unfair that they have it and you don’t. Jealousy is also used in the context of romantic relationships to refer to a feeling of hostility, uneasiness, or distress relating to the fear that one’s romantic partner will be unfaithful. This often involves opposition to others giving one’s partner positive attention. Such jealousy is considered very unhealthy in relationships. Someone who is feeling or is prone to jealousy can be described as jealous. Jealous can also be used to describe such a person’s thoughts or actions. Example: If your friends feel jealousy over your success, they may not be your friends.
Commonly Confused
See envy.
Synonym Usage
See envy.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of jealousy
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English gelusie, gelosie, from Old French gelosie, jalousie, equivalent to gelos “jealous” + -ie noun suffix; see origin at jealous, -y 3
Explanation
Jealousy is that unpleasant emotion you feel when you think someone’s trying to take what’s yours. Jealousy might creep up on you if someone flirts with your sweetie or copies your unique style. Jealousy is called the "green-eyed monster" because it can make people obsessed with how they compare to others, always trying to beat their rivals by calling attention to what they have and seeing if the rivals have any reaction. Don't confuse jealousy with envy, which can sometimes be a slightly more positive emotion. If you envy your friend's athleticism, you wish you had it too, but you also admire her dedication.
Vocabulary lists containing jealousy
Beowulf vocabulary
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Commonly Confused Words, List 2
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List 7
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Rodrigo's as likely to reveal her ugly side – jealousy, obsession, self-destructive decision making – as she is to rant about her feckless exes.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
Or you can get riled up with impatience, jealousy and/or dismay with a self-confessed couple who has everything, including $6 million set aside for retirement, and still want advice.
From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026
But somehow friendship mostly triumphs over jealousy, and in the end the now-pregnant woman charts her own course, leaving the two pals to fend for themselves.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026
I remember thinking: When I leave the theater, I’m filled only with joy and no jealousy because I could never do what she’s doing.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026
Unbidden, a little bubble of brotherly jealousy gurgled up inside me.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
There are tantrums, squabbles and romantic jealousies, but it is mostly an opportunity for bravura singing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2025
On top of those digital-age preoccupations, Russell sought to indict the petty jealousies that exist among men — a subject, he thinks, that remains taboo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2025
He has his own jealousies and competitiveness with the family.
From Salon ● Nov. 30, 2023
Rivalries and jealousies within the palaces will be discussed, along with claims of an unhealthy relationship with the tabloid press.
From BBC ● Nov. 27, 2023
He has jealousies of his own then, wounds of his own to lick.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
