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; need, -y ¹

Example Sentences

Barbie’s needy male counterpart, it turns out, is not “just Ken.”

From Los Angeles Times

My voice comes out needier than I mean it to.

From Literature

In recent years, more than a dozen U.S. cities have run universal basic income programs, often smaller or pilot programs that have offered guaranteed basic incomes to select groups of needy residents.

From Salon

He’s less needy of approval: He’s written off the mainstream press.

From The Wall Street Journal

As AI labs obsess over the amount of time people spend with their products, chatbots have become ferociously needy people pleasers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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