Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective avaricious differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of avaricious are acquisitive, covetous, grasping, and greedy. While all these words mean "having or showing a strong desire for especially material possessions," avaricious implies obsessive acquisitiveness especially of money and strongly suggests stinginess.

an avaricious miser

When is it sensible to use acquisitive instead of avaricious?

Although the words acquisitive and avaricious have much in common, acquisitive implies both eagerness to possess and ability to acquire and keep.

an eagerly acquisitive mind

In what contexts can covetous take the place of avaricious?

The words covetous and avaricious can be used in similar contexts, but covetous implies inordinate desire often for another's possessions.

covetous of his brother's country estate

How does the word grasping relate to other synonyms for avaricious?

Grasping adds to covetous and greedy an implication of selfishness and often suggests unfair or ruthless means.

a hard grasping businesswoman who cheated her associates

When might greedy be a better fit than avaricious?

The meanings of greedy and avaricious largely overlap; however, greedy stresses lack of restraint and often of discrimination in desire.

greedy for status symbols

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of avaricious This nation state, my home, is built on a quagmire of lies sold to the young as truths; sold to the insecure as truths; sold by the avaricious, the power-hungry, the conceited, the overwhelmingly white and male. Christine Winter, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025 Pearce plays Van Buren as hungry and avaricious even in his kinder moments, a man of immense wealth whose primary desire is to own more and more. David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025 Few places in the U.S. are more fraught with unresolved tension than South Dakota’s Black Hills, land stolen from the Sioux after treaties had been signed in order for avaricious Americans to pursue gold. Grayson Haver Currin, Outside Online, 7 July 2024 Ever since the United States liberated Kuwait from the avaricious clutches of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War of 1990-91, the Kuwaitis have supported U.S. priorities in the Middle East and elsewhere. Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 14 Feb. 2022 See All Example Sentences for avaricious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avaricious
Adjective
  • Fleming and Iwamasa, as well as greedy ketamine providing doctors Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez have all previously entered guilty pleas in the Perry case.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Women are greedy, untrustworthy, weak and inferior, these influencers say.
    Will Carless, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Both sides need mercenaries to survive and this box provides a campaign framework for running a mercenary company willing to die for that almighty C-Bill.
    Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
  • In Jurassic World Rebirth, Johansson leads a dangerous expedition as mercenary Zora Bennett, building a rapport with Bailey's character: super-smart paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis.
    Jen Juneau, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Employees are eager to experiment with AI tools, but unclear policies and a lack of training fuel secrecy instead of confidence.
    Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Wrapped in a bulky down jacket, Putin greeted residents eager to meet him.
    Yegor Mostovshikov, The Dial, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Retail e-commerce penetration had surged during the pandemic, which brought a rush of acquisitive capital into the space.
    Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
  • Banijay has been among the most acquisitive independent TV makers of recent years, and now reportedly has its sights on ITV.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • For most players, that amount of storage is realistically enough for all but the most covetous data hoarders.
    Matt Kamen, Wired News, 3 Aug. 2025
  • This is, in part, correct: Voldemort is extremely covetous of power.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Avaricious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avaricious. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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