envious
gb/ˈɛnviəs/ us/ˈɛnviəs/
B2
English
~ 8800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
state
1
feeling unhappy desire for others' advantages
Feeling bad because another person has something good that you want to have too.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is envious of [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "envious" with "jealous." In everyday speech, many native speakers use them in a similar way, but "envious" normally means you want what another person has, while "jealous" can also mean you are afraid of losing someone (for example, being jealous in a romantic relationship). Another common mistake is saying "envious for" instead of the correct preposition "envious of." Also, some learners mistakenly use "envious" when they mean "enviable" (for example, "an envious job" is usually incorrect; it should be "an enviable job").
Synonyms
jealous (Very close in meaning; often used more broadly for fear of losing someone, while "envious" focuses on wanting what another person has.)
|
covetous (More formal and slightly stronger, suggesting an intense or greedy desire for someone else's things.)
|
resentful (Emphasizes the bitter or angry feeling about another's good situation more than the desire to have it.)
Antonyms
content (Describes being satisfied with what you have, without wanting what others have.)
|
happy for (Describes positive feelings about another person's success instead of wanting it for yourself.)
Collocations
envious of his success
|deeply envious
|openly envious
|envious of her talent
|envious friend
|secretly envious
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She tried to be supportive, but she felt envious of her sister's rapid promotion.
- I was envious of how confident he seemed during the interview.
- Their envious colleagues whispered about the bonus they had received.
- He grew envious of friends who could afford to travel every year.
- Seeing their close relationship made her envious and lonely.
Learner examples
- I am envious of my friend because he has a new car.
- She feels envious of people who can speak many languages.
- He was envious of his brother's good job.
- They are envious of the couple who bought a big house.
- My coworker is envious of my flexible work hours.
unknown
C1
property
2
showing envy in looks or behavior
Looking or acting in a way that clearly shows you feel envy.
Usage pattern:
[someone] gives [someone] an envious [look/glance]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this use of "envious" means "pleased" or "happy" because it can come with a smile (for example, "an envious smile"). In fact, it still shows a desire to have what another person has. Also, do not confuse this sense with "enviable"; an "envious look" is a look that shows envy, while an "enviable look" would mean a look that other people want to have (which is rare and usually avoided).
Synonyms
jealous (Used before a noun in a similar way (a jealous look), but may also suggest fear of losing something or someone.)
|
covetous (More formal and less common; can describe looks that clearly show a greedy desire for something.)
|
envious-looking (A compound adjective that makes the "showing" aspect very explicit.)
Antonyms
admiring (Describes looks or behavior that show positive appreciation instead of envy.)
|
supportive (Describes behavior that shows encouragement rather than silent envy.)
Collocations
envious glance
|envious look
|envious tone
|envious smile
|envious whisper
Themes
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She shot him an envious glance when he walked in with the award.
- Their envious smiles made it clear they wished they had won instead.
- He listened in an envious tone as his friend described the new apartment.
- The other players exchanged envious looks when they saw her new contract.
- From the crowd's envious murmurs, you could tell his success impressed them.
Learner examples
- She gave her friend an envious look.
- The students watched with envious eyes as he got the prize.
- He spoke in an envious voice when he talked about her holiday.
- They exchanged envious smiles when they saw the new car.
- I noticed his envious glance at my phone.
Grammar
Dictionary form
envious
IPA
GB/ˈɛnviəs/
US/ˈɛnviəs/
Syllables & stress
en - vi - ous (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (en)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: envious
Word family
Core family
envy
noun B1
enviously
adverb
Related words
enviable
adjective C1
enviably
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
unenviable
adjective C1
Expressions
be envious of
1/bˈi ˈɛnviəs əv/
fixed phrase
to feel envy toward someone or something
To feel bad because you want what another person has.
Examples
- It's natural to be envious of friends who seem more successful.
- He tried not to be envious of his colleague's promotion.
make someone envious
1/mˈeɪk sˈʌmwˌʌn ˈɛnviəs/
fixed phrase
to cause someone to feel envy
To cause a person to feel envy when they see your good thing or situation.
Examples
- Her travel photos will make everyone envious.
- He bought the latest phone just to make his friends envious.