needy

[ nee-dee ]

adjective

, need·i·er, need·i·est.

1. in a condition of need or want; extremely poor and not having the basic necessities:

   If your car is serviceable, it will be repaired and donated to a needy family.

2. having or exhibiting an excessive emotional need, as for attention, intimacy, or reassurance:

   As he became more competent and less needy, his interpersonal relationships improved.

3. having many needs to be met:

   Cats aren’t as needy as dogs.

noun

, (used with a plural verb)

1. Usually the needy. Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive. extremely poor people collectively.

needy

/ ˈniːdɪ /

adjective

1. 1. in need of practical or emotional support; distressed
   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the needy

Other Words From

• need·i·ly adverb
• un·need·y adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of needy¹

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English nedi; need, -y ¹

Example Sentences

In the United States, concerns are highest for the neediest students, those who live in poverty, have special needs and are English Language Learners — but month after month of disrupted education will affect every child.

From Washington Post

Marshall’s Democratic opponent, Barbara Bollier, 62, a state senator who only recently left the Republican Party, is also a physician and has centered her platform on pandemic response and expanding health care for needy Kansans.

From Washington Post

So the EV maker has long collected fistfuls of credits and found lots of needy buyers, Honda among them.

From Fortune

The department says it could give more money to the neediest neighborhoods and boost nearly funded projects over their last hurdle.

From Voice of San Diego

In some cases, an elder chick would also offer food to the neediest sibling, which called out incessantly, irrespective of whether it groomed or not.

From Science News

As a way to be more available to needy souls outside the church, Williams took a clerk job at Walgreens pharmacy.

From The Daily Beast

The foundation, named after her mother, provides financial help to needy families that are infertile.

From The Daily Beast

Fatherless and emotionally needy, du Pont was a loner who sought companionship and adoration—usually at great financial cost.

From The Daily Beast

He has close ties with the city political establishment and serves more than 200 needy families a week through his food bank.

From The Daily Beast

The officers—led by a woman named Dawn Lerner—provide food and shelter at the hospital for needy people they find on the road.

From The Daily Beast

A very few weeks flew over the head of the needy man, before he was reduced to the same pitiable straits.

From Project Gutenberg

The needy and the poor seek for waters, and there are none: their tongue hath been dry with thirst.

From Project Gutenberg

An assistant in the benevolent work of Mme. de la Chanterie, he visited the needy sick whom she pointed out.

From Project Gutenberg

By 1775, there were nine free schools endowed by private philanthropists for the poor and needy.

From Project Gutenberg

They all evinced a strong religious character, but in addition had a care for the old and needy.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• destitute
• disadvantaged
• indigent
• penniless
• poor
• poverty-stricken
• underprivileged

More About Needy

What does needy mean?

Needy is an adjective meaning poor. It can also be used as a noun referring collectively to people who are poor or otherwise in need, as in Your donation will help the needy. 

Another, more informal use of needy is as a negative adjective meaning demanding or having a lot needs to be met. It’s especially used to describe someone who requires a lot of attention in a relationship. A similar term is high-maintenance.

Example: The food bank is intended for needy people who have no other way to get food.

Where does needy come from?

The first records of needy come from the 1100s. It comes from the Middle English nedi. It is a combination of the word need and the suffix -y, which means “having or characterized by” and is used to form adjectives from nouns. (Someone who’s hungry has hunger. Someone who’s needy has needs.) Needy has been used as a noun for almost as long. Many adjectives are used as nouns in the same way, such as the rich and the poor. As a noun, needy commonly appears in the redundant phrase the poor and needy. 

Needy is another way of saying someone is in a state of poverty. The term is especially used in the context of charity organizations whose stated mission is to help the needy through donations, community service, and other ways. Helping the needy is encouraged in many religions, and many places of worship take up collections for needy families.

The more informal use of needy is especially applied to relationship partners. It’s always negative and is often used alongside other negative adjectives like clingy and naggy. A person who’s described as needy in this sense has a lot of needs, and they expect and usually demand their needs to be prioritized above those of others.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to needy?

• needier (comparative adjective)
• neediest (superlative adjective)
• needily (adverb)
• unneedy (adjective)

What are some synonyms for needy?

• poor
• in need
• destitute
• disadvantaged
• underprivileged 

What are some words that share a root or word element with needy? 

 

• need

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing needy?

 

• poverty
• families
• money
• charity
• donation
• homeless

How is needy used in real life?

When it means “poor” or “the poor,” needy is especially used in the context of charity. When it’s used to describe a person as demanding, it’s always negative—it might even be given as the reason someone broke up with the person they were dating.

Let no one amongst us gain or seek popularity out of giving to the needy. This is not the time for social media videos and pictures of showing off charity; the needy have dignity too!

— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) April 10, 2020

I congratulate all Muslims as they commence this year’s Ramadan fast, which is depicted by self-denial, universal brotherhood, austerity and helping relatives and needy people.

— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) April 23, 2020

so I have realised I’m really needy and need constant attention 🥴

— mel (@melissaawilson_) April 22, 2020

 

 

Try using needy!

Which of the following terms is NOT a synonym for needy?

A. impoverished
B. poor
C. wealthy
D. in need