needy

American  

[nee-dee] / ˈni di /

adjective

needier, neediest

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.

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noun

(used with a plural verb)

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

needy British  

/ ˈniːdɪ /

adjective

1. 1. in need of practical or emotional support; distressed

   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the needy

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Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

• needily
  adverb
• unneedy
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of needy

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

Explanation

People who are needy don't have enough of life's necessities, like money, food, water, education, or shelter. Many charities collect money that helps needy people. Truly needy people go without food or warmth, for example, and often need help from others. As a group, these people are sometimes referred to as "the needy." A more lighthearted way to use the adjective is to mean "demanding or difficult." This type of needy person requires frequent reassurance or emotional support: "She's a good friend, but she can be so needy sometimes."

Example Sentences

Also starting this week is the first trial in a sprawling scheme last decade to bilk Mississippi’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

The largest freeze is from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which provides cash assistance for family living expenses.

From Salon • Jan. 7, 2026

HHS has broad spending oversight for programs for the underprivileged, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, early education of toddlers and foster care.

From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025

Favre, 54, was testifying about welfare abuses in Mississippi and allegations that he and others used Temporary Assistance for Needy Families state funds for personal and corporate gains.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 24, 2024

Sam Needy was, by his particular organization, a great eater; his stomach was so formed, that food enough for two common men would hardly have sufficed for his nourishment.

From Graham's Magazine Vol XXXIII No. 4 October 1848 by Various

Related Words

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