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jealousy

noun
jeal·​ou·​sy | \ ˈje-lə-sē How to pronounce jealousy (audio) \
plural jealousies

Definition of jealousy

1 : a jealous disposition, attitude, or feeling a marriage destroyed by jealousy petty jealousies
2 : zealous vigilance cherish their official political freedom with fierce jealousy— Paul Blanshard
Synonyms Jealousy vs. Envy More Example Sentences Learn More about jealousy

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Jealousy vs. Envy

Depending on who you ask, jealousy and envy are either exact synonyms, totally different words, or near-synonyms with some degree of semantic overlap and some differences. It is difficult to make the case, based on the evidence of usage that we have, for either of the first two possibilities. Both jealousy and envy are often used to indicate that a person is covetous of something that someone else has, but jealousy carries the particular sense of “zealous vigilance” and tends to be applied more exclusively to feelings of protectiveness regarding one’s own advantages or attachments. In the domain of romance, it is more commonly found than envy. If you were to say “your salt-shaker collection fills me with jealousy,” most people would take it to mean much the same thing as “your salt-shaker collection fills me with envy.” But if someone made a flirtatious comment to your partner, you would likely say that it caused you jealousy, not envy.

Examples of jealousy in a Sentence

petty jealousies among political rivals a marriage ruined by infidelity and jealousy He was driven crazy with jealousy. He was unable to control his jealousies.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Dominican tabloids and news shows have suggested motives more in sync with jealousy and romantic rifts than mistaken identity. — Aimee Ortiz, BostonGlobe.com, "David Ortiz hires former BPD head to look into his shooting," 25 Aug. 2019 The brothers of the park’s baby gorilla, Grace, were taught to carry a baby doll prior to her birth to prep the boys to assist their sister as well as to combat jealousy issues. — Kathleen Christiansen, orlandosentinel.com, "Disney: Animal Kingdom cast members share facts on Wild Africa Trek," 8 Aug. 2019 Why go back to the affluent community of Monterey, California, where well-coiffed, perfectly manicured neighbors trade in gossip, jealousy and suspicion? — Mark Dawidziak, cleveland.com, "Meryl Streep is powerful addition to ‘Big Little Lies’," 7 June 2019 The lyrics, loaded with metaphors and aphorisms, fire off honest observations about art versus commerce, pragmatism versus idealism, and the struggle to love amid jealousy and doubt. — Ashley Lee, latimes.com, "Anais Mitchell on the very public evolution of ‘Hadestown’ in the digital age," 4 June 2019 After many flirtatious moments and bouts of jealousy, Eddie was ready to be honest. — Jennifer Aldrich, Country Living, "'Blue Bloods' Couple Jamie Reagan and Eddie Janko Have Had Such a Dramatic Relationship," 27 Apr. 2019 At first glance, the haters’ comments might’ve been dismissed as paranoia, jealousy, or at the very least anti-science. — Hannah Wallace, WIRED, "High Drama: A Cannabis Biotech Company Roils Small Growers," 24 July 2019 McCall Zerboni was filled with joy yet conflicted with jealousy. — Jack Harris, latimes.com, "Ex-UCLA star McCall Zerboni has helped carry the torch for women’s soccer," 9 July 2019 Comparison and jealousy are caustic and rarely provide a long-term boost to your self-esteem. — Steve Booren, The Denver Post, "Improving investor behavior: Strengthen your financial superpowers," 21 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jealousy.' 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 jealousy

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for jealousy

see jealous

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More Definitions for jealousy

jealousy

noun
How to pronounce jealousy (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of jealousy

: an unhappy or angry feeling of wanting to have what someone else has
: an unhappy or angry feeling caused by the belief that someone you love (such as your husband or wife) likes or is liked by someone else

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

jealousy

noun
jeal·​ou·​sy | \ ˈje-lə-sē How to pronounce jealousy (audio) \
plural jealousies

Kids Definition of jealousy

1 : a feeling of unhappiness and anger caused by a belief that a loved one might be unfaithful
2 : a feeling of unhappiness caused by wanting what someone else has

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