envy

American  

[en-vee] / ˈɛn vi /

noun

envies plural

1. a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions, etc.

   Synonyms:

   enviousness

2. an object of such feeling.

   Her intelligence made her the envy of her classmates.

3. Obsolete. ill will.

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verb (used with object)

envied, envying

1. to regard (a person or thing) with envy.

   She envies you for your success.

   I envy your writing ability.

   He envies her the position she has achieved in her profession.

   Synonyms:

   resent

verb (used without object)

envied, envying

1. Obsolete. to be affected with envy.

idioms

1. green with envy, full of envy; covetous.

   When my friends saw the enormous rock on my engagement ring, they were all green with envy.

envy British  

/ ˈɛnvɪ /

noun

1. a feeling of grudging or somewhat admiring discontent aroused by the possessions, achievements, or qualities of another

2. the desire to have for oneself something possessed by another; covetousness

3. an object of envy

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verb

1. to be envious of (a person or thing)

envy More Idioms  

1. see green with envy.

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Usage

What does envy mean? Envy is a mostly negative feeling of desire for something that someone else has and you do not. Envy is not a good feeling—it can be described as a mix of admiration and discontent. But it’s not necessarily malicious. Envy is very similar in meaning to jealousy. However, 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. Envy is also a verb meaning to have feelings of envy toward someone. It is always followed by the person or thing that’s envied, as in I must admit that I envy her talent. As a noun, it can also be used to refer to the object of envy, as in She was the envy of the entire office after getting the promotion. Someone who envies another person can be described as envious, as in I was envious of him and his popularity. Someone who’s very envious is said to be green with envy. Things that produce envy in others can be described as enviable, as in It’s an enviable position, with a lot of perks. Example: Other people’s perfectly curated social media feeds often cause us to feel envy, but we need to keep in mind that they don’t show the whole story of what someone’s life is like—only the highlights.

Commonly Confused

Envy and jealousy are very close in meaning. Envy denotes a longing to possess something awarded to or achieved by another: to feel envy when a friend inherits a fortune. Jealousy, on the other hand, denotes a feeling of resentment that another has gained something that one more rightfully deserves: to feel jealousy when a coworker receives a promotion. Jealousy also refers to anguish caused by fear of unfaithfulness.

Related Words

Envy, begrudge, covet refer to one's attitude toward the possessions or attainments of others. To envy is to feel resentful and unhappy because someone else possesses, or has achieved, what one wishes oneself to possess, or to have achieved: to envy the wealthy, a woman's beauty, an honest man's reputation. To begrudge is to be unwilling that another should have the possessions, honors, or credit that person deserves: to begrudge a man a reward for heroism. To covet is to long jealously to possess what someone else possesses: I covet your silverware.

Other Word Forms

• envier
  noun
• envyingly
  adverb
• unenvied
  adjective
• unenvying
  adjective
• unenvyingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of envy

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English noun envie, from Old French, from Latin invidia, equivalent to invid(us) “envious” (derivative of invidēre “to envy”) + -ia abstract noun suffix; verb derivative of the noun; see invidious, -y ³ ( def. )

Explanation

Wanting what someone else has and resenting them for having it is envy. If your best friend comes to school with the silver backpack you’d had your eye on all summer, you want to be happy for her, instead you feel bitter envy. Envy comes from the Latin word invidere, which literally means “look upon.” You know when you say something funny or smart and someone gives you the evil eye? Envy all the way. Envy can be used as a noun or as a verb: Envy (noun) is the feeling you have when you envy (verb) what someone else has.

Example Sentences

But that teaches another more cautionary lesson about collecting nemeses: Salieri never figured out how to channel his gnawing envy into motivation.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

Ukraine -- at war for more than four years -- has become the envy of some of the world's most powerful militaries in combating long-range drones.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

Temperamentally, I do not give a damn what my neighbors own; I have zero envy.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

This culture is at the heart of a competent military, and indeed is essential to the morale and cohesion that makes the American armed forces the envy of the world.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

She enjoyed her role as the confidante of young wives and the envy of the wives her own age.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Related Words

• begrudging
• bitterness
• hatred
• ill will
• jealousy
• malice
• prejudice
• resentment
• rivalry