envy

[en-vee]

noun

plural

envies 

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.

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.

envy

/ 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

verb

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

Confusables Note

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.

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of envy¹

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; invidious, -y ³ ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of envy¹

C13: via Old French from Latin invidia, from invidēre to eye maliciously, from _in- ² + vidēre to see

Idioms and Phrases

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.

see green with envy.

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

“I do envy that because I didn’t get to work with any wonderful architects,” Cumberbatch replies.

From Los Angeles Times

These rooms sing with Californian lyricism, that casual L.A. bliss that the rest of the word criticizes, envies, misunderstands.

From Los Angeles Times

He keeps insisting the childless are “sociopathic,” painting them as selfish hedonists, all in a tone of barely concealed envy — as if he senses they are getting away with something.

From Salon

Now Brentford, Bournemouth and Brighton are the shining examples of clubs who have bucked the trend of yo-yoing between the Premier League and Championship, with recruitment models the envy of many clubs.

From BBC

But the novel’s truest setting is an emotional one, anyway; Berman’s gift is for revealing the ways that attachment warps into envy, and how we rationalize or ignore those emotions even while they consume us.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• begrudging www.thesaurus.com
• bitterness 
• hatred 
• ill will 
• jealousy 
• malice 
• prejudice 
• resentment 
• rivalry 

When To Use

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.