1 covet | Definition of covet
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covet

verb
cov·​et | \ ˈkə-vət How to pronounce covet (audio) \
coveted; coveting; covets

Definition of covet

transitive verb

1 : to wish for earnestly covet an award
2 : to desire (what belongs to another) inordinately or culpably The king's brother coveted the throne.

intransitive verb

: to feel inordinate desire for what belongs to another
Other Words from covet Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about covet

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Other Words from covet

covetable \ ˈkə-​və-​tə-​bəl How to pronounce covetable (audio) \ adjective
coveter \ ˈkə-​və-​tər How to pronounce coveter (audio) \ noun
covetingly \ ˈkə-​və-​tiŋ-​lē How to pronounce covetingly (audio) \ adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for covet

desire, wish, want, crave, covet mean to have a longing for. desire stresses the strength of feeling and often implies strong intention or aim. desires to start a new life wish sometimes implies a general or transient longing especially for the unattainable. wishes for permanent world peace want specifically suggests a felt need or lack. wants to have a family crave stresses the force of physical appetite or emotional need. craves sweets covet implies strong envious desire. covets his rise to fame

Examples of covet in a Sentence

The oldest of the students, she had become a confidante of Fern's and she alone was allowed to call her by her first name. It was not a privilege the others coveted. — Edward P. Jones, The Known World, 2003 The only Commandment I'd breached, besides killing that bird with my air rifle, was that I had coveted Bobby Entrekin's electric train. It blew real smoke. Mine didn't. — Lewis Grizzard, Reader's Digest, January 1992
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Her mother has been unable to make enough milk for her, putting Shehab on the hunt for one of the settlement's most coveted and rarest commodities: baby formula. — Alessandria Masi, CNN, "Thousands are trapped in a desert settlement in Syria, near a US military base," 1 Aug. 2019 Now Read With Jenna is emerging as publishing’s most coveted seal of approval. — David Canfield, EW.com, "How Jenna Bush Hager became the new book club queen," 24 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'covet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of covet

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

History and Etymology for covet

Middle English coveiten, from Anglo-French coveiter, from Vulgar Latin *cupidietare, from Latin cupiditat-, cupiditas desire, from cupidus desirous, from cupere to desire

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More Definitions for covet

covet

verb
How to pronounce covet (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of covet

: to want (something that you do not have) very much

See the full definition for covet in the English Language Learners Dictionary

covet

verb
cov·​et | \ ˈkəv-ət How to pronounce covet (audio) \
coveted; coveting

Kids Definition of covet

: to wish for greatly or with envy I admit I covet success. It's wrong to covet a friend's happiness.

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