Idioms are special figurative expressions where the combined words create a meaning completely different from their literal definitions. People use them in everyday speech to describe feelings of jealousy, longing, and coveting what others have in a colorful way. In this article, you will learn fifty unique idioms related to envy.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean wanting what someone else has, feeling jealous, and coveting success. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Envy
1. Green with envy
Definition: Experiencing intense, visible jealousy because someone else has what you want.
Used in a Sentence: Seeing my brand new bicycle parked outside made my neighbor go green with envy. / He was green with envy when his classmate won the raffle prize.
Similar Expressions: Extremely jealous / Bitterly envious
2. Born with a silver spoon in your mouth
Definition: Being born into wealth and luxury, causing others to envy your easy life.
Used in a Sentence: Some people feel envy toward those born with a silver spoon in their mouths. / She worked hard for her success instead of feeling like she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
Similar Expressions: Privileged start / Wealthy upbringing
3. Covet thy neighbor’s ox
Definition: An old-fashioned phrase for wanting or envying what belongs to someone else.
Used in a Sentence: It is easy to start coveting thy neighbor’s ox when you see a cool new video game. / Learning to be grateful stops you from coveting thy neighbor’s ox.
Similar Expressions: Envy others / Desire possessions
4. Eat your heart out
Definition: To consume yourself with bitter jealousy, envy, or anger over someone’s success.
Used in a Sentence: He wanted to make his rival eat his heart out by winning the science fair trophy. / Stop letting small successes of others make you eat your heart out.
Similar Expressions: Consume with envy / Fret bitterly
5. Envy of the eye
Definition: Something so attractive and wonderful that everyone looks at it with longing.
Used in a Sentence: The shiny red skateboard he brought to the park was the envy of the eye. / Her gorgeous handmade costume became the envy of the eye at the party.
Similar Expressions: Object of desire / Highly coveted
6. Grass is always greener on the other side
Definition: The belief that other people’s lives or possessions are always better than your own.
Used in a Sentence: I wanted curly hair like my friend, but remember the grass is always greener on the other side. / Do not wish for someone else’s schedule because the grass is always greener on the other side.
Similar Expressions: Envy others / Unhappy with your lot
7. Green-eyed monster
Definition: A personification of jealousy and envy that controls a person’s thoughts.
Used in a Sentence: The green-eyed monster took over when she saw her friend wearing a new jacket. / Do not let the green-eyed monster ruin your happiness for someone else’s success.
Similar Expressions: Jealousy / Envious urge
8. Have a chip on your shoulder
Definition: Enviously feeling resentful because you think others have it better than you.
Used in a Sentence: He walks around school with a big chip on his shoulder, envying everyone’s success. / Drop that chip on your shoulder and focus on your own goals.
Similar Expressions: Resentful attitude / Bitter feeling
9. Keep up with the Joneses
Definition: Striving to own or achieve as much as your neighbors out of social envy.
Used in a Sentence: Buying a fancy new car just to keep up with the Joneses is a waste of money. / They decided to focus on what they need instead of trying to keep up with the Joneses.
Similar Expressions: Social rivalry / Keeping pace with peers
10. Look through rose-colored glasses
Definition: Enviously viewing someone else’s life as perfect without seeing their troubles.
Used in a Sentence: We often look through rose-colored glasses when envying a famous person’s life. / It is easy to look through rose-colored glasses and wish you were in another grade.
Similar Expressions: Idealize others / Unrealistic view
11. Mortified with jealousy
Definition: Feeling an extreme, painful wave of envy and embarrassment over someone’s win.
Used in a Sentence: He felt mortified with jealousy when his rival scored the winning goal. / She hid her face, feeling mortified with jealousy during the award ceremony.
Similar Expressions: Painfully envious / Deeply jealous
12. Pining away
Definition: Suffer from a painful longing, sadness, and envy for something you cannot have.
Used in a Sentence: He spent the whole afternoon pining away for the bicycle he saw in the window. / Stop pining away for toys you do not need and enjoy what you have.
Similar Expressions: Longing deeply / Desiring intensely
13. Red with envy
Definition: Showing an extreme physical reaction of anger and jealousy combined.
Used in a Sentence: His face turned red with envy when he saw the grand prize trophy go to his teammate. / She was red with envy upon hearing about her friend’s amazing vacation.
Similar Expressions: Visibly jealous / Furious with envy
14. Sore spot
Definition: A sensitive topic where someone feels insecure and envious of others.
Used in a Sentence: Winning sports matches is a sore spot for him because his team always loses. / Talking about new computers is a sore spot for anyone wanting an upgrade.
Similar Expressions: Sensitive subject / Touchy area
15. Staring with longing
Definition: Looking at someone else’s possessions or achievements with heavy envy.
Used in a Sentence: The little boy stood by the fence, staring with longing at the new bicycles. / She was staring with longing at the delicious bakery treats her friend brought.
Similar Expressions: Gazing enviously / Watching with desire
16. Steal someone’s thunder
Definition: To feel envious and take attention or praise away from someone else’s success.
Used in a Sentence: I told a funny joke right after Sarah, but I didn’t mean to steal her thunder out of envy. / Please don’t announce your news today because you will steal his thunder.
Similar Expressions: Upstage someone / Take the spotlight
17. Turn green
Definition: To experience a sudden, visible flash of envy or illness.
Used in a Sentence: He almost turned green when he saw the giant pile of birthday gifts his brother received. / She turned green with envy upon seeing the concert tickets.
Similar Expressions: Become envious / Show jealousy
18. Want the moon
Definition: To enviously desire things that are impossible to get or achieve.
Used in a Sentence: Asking for a pony for your birthday is like wanting the moon. / He always wants the moon when he sees someone else’s toys.
Similar Expressions: Impossible desires / Unrealistic yearning
19. Wish you were in their shoes
Definition: To deeply envy someone else’s position, life, or luck.
Used in a Sentence: Seeing her win the scholarship contest made me wish I were in her shoes. / When he got to meet the famous author, everyone wished they were in his shoes.
Similar Expressions: Envy their life / Want their position
20. Yearning heart
Definition: A deep emotional state filled with longing and envy for something missing.
Used in a Sentence: She looked at the travel brochure with a yearning heart, wishing she could visit. / He watched the skateboarders skate past with a yearning heart.
Similar Expressions: Longing soul / Envious desire
21. Bitter pill to swallow
Definition: An envious realization that someone else won fairly and you lost.
Used in a Sentence: Accepting that my sister got the lead role in the play was a bitter pill to swallow. / Watching him take the prize was a bitter pill to swallow for the competitors.
Similar Expressions: Unpleasant reality / Difficult acceptance
22. Chip on your shoulder
Definition: Carrying an attitude of angry envy because you feel shortchanged.
Used in a Sentence: He has a chip on his shoulder because his artwork didn’t win first place. / Drop that chip on your shoulder and congratulate the winner.
Similar Expressions: Resentful grievance / Envious chip
23. Covetous eye
Definition: A greedy and envious look cast upon someone else’s property.
Used in a Sentence: He cast a covetous eye at my brand new electronic tablet. / Keep your toys put away so nobody casts a covetous eye on them.
Similar Expressions: Envious glance / Greedy look
24. Dog in the manger
Definition: Enviously stopping others from enjoying something you cannot use yourself.
Used in a Sentence: He wouldn’t share the basketball, acting like a dog in the manger. / Don’t be a dog in the manger just because you aren’t playing the game.
Similar Expressions: Spiteful person / Selfish spoiler
25. Envious glance
Definition: A quick, longing look at what someone else possesses.
Used in a Sentence: She cast an envious glance at the colorful cupcakes on the next table. / He shot an envious glance at my new sneakers.
Similar Expressions: Jealous look / Covetous stare
26. Feeding the monster
Definition: Encouraging your own feelings of envy and jealousy by staring too long.
Used in a Sentence: Comparing yourself to others online is just feeding the monster of envy. / Stop scrolling through those photos and feeding the monster of jealousy.
Similar Expressions: Fueling envy / Nurturing greed
27. Green shadow
Definition: A subtle feeling of jealousy that creeps into your thoughts.
Used in a Sentence: A green shadow of envy crossed his mind when his friend got a new bike. / She shook off the green shadow of jealousy and smiled.
Similar Expressions: Slight envy / Brief jealousy
28. Hollow victory
Definition: Winning something out of envy without feeling any genuine joy.
Used in a Sentence: Copying someone else’s project to win felt like a hollow victory. / Winning the argument through jealousy was a hollow victory.
Similar Expressions: Meaningless win / Empty success
29. Hungry eyes
Definition: Looking at someone else’s food or possessions with intense envy.
Used in a Sentence: The stray dog looked at our picnic basket with hungry eyes. / He cast hungry eyes at my remaining slice of pizza.
Similar Expressions: Covetous gaze / Envious stare
30. Jealous streak
Definition: A natural tendency to feel bouts of envy toward friends or peers.
Used in a Sentence: She realized she had a jealous streak when her best friend made new friends. / Working on trusting others helps cure a jealous streak.
Similar Expressions: Envious nature / Jealous habit
31. Lost in longing
Definition: Being overwhelmed by envying someone else’s lifestyle or items.
Used in a Sentence: He stared out the window, lost in longing for a summer vacation. / She spent hours lost in longing over fashion magazines.
Similar Expressions: Deeply yearning / Enviously trapped
32. Narrow-eyed stare
Definition: A suspicious and envious look given to a successful person.
Used in a Sentence: He gave the competition winner a narrow-eyed stare of pure envy. / She shot a narrow-eyed stare at the person who got the front-row seat.
Similar Expressions: Suspicious look / Envious glare
33. Poisoned mind
Definition: A mindset warped by constant envy and bitterness toward others.
Used in a Sentence: Constant comparison online can leave you with a poisoned mind of envy. / Clear your poisoned mind of jealousy and celebrate your peers.
Similar Expressions: Bitter thoughts / Corrupted perspective
34. Pout with envy
Definition: To display childish sadness and jealousy because you want what someone else has.
Used in a Sentence: Little kids might pout with envy when another child gets a bigger toy. / Stop your silly pouting with envy and share the games.
Similar Expressions: Sulk jealously / Frown with envy
35. Restless longing
Definition: An ongoing, uncomfortable feeling of envy that won’t let you relax.
Used in a Sentence: Seeing all the new gadgets gave him a restless longing to go shopping. / She felt a restless longing whenever her friends shared travel stories.
Similar Expressions: Unsettled desire / Envious yearning
36. Shadow of jealousy
Definition: A dark trace of envy that dims your appreciation of your own life.
Used in a Sentence: A shadow of jealousy fell over him when his brother won the raffle. / Do not let a shadow of jealousy ruin your friendship.
Similar Expressions: Trace of envy / Dark feeling
37. Sick with envy
Definition: Experiencing physical discomfort or nausea caused by extreme jealousy.
Used in a Sentence: He was sick with envy when he saw his neighbor drive past in a new sports car. / She felt sick with envy watching her rival take the trophy.
Similar Expressions: Nauseated by jealousy / Deeply envious
38. Smoldering resentment
Definition: Hidden, burning envy and anger toward someone who is more successful.
Used in a Sentence: Beneath his polite smile lay smoldering resentment and envy. / Letting go of smoldering resentment makes you much happier.
Similar Expressions: Hidden bitterness / Secret envy
39. Stolen glory
Definition: Envying someone’s success so much you try to claim it as your own.
Used in a Sentence: Taking credit for our group project was just stealing glory out of envy. / He apologized for trying to live on stolen glory.
Similar Expressions: Borrowed success / False credit
40. Sweet and sour envy
Definition: A mixture of admiration for someone and bitter envy of their achievements.
Used in a Sentence: Watching the concert pianist filled her with sweet and sour envy. / His reaction to the award was a mix of sweet and sour envy.
Similar Expressions: Mixed feelings / Jealous admiration
41. Tainted view
Definition: A perspective ruined by looking at the world through the lens of envy.
Used in a Sentence: His envy gave him a tainted view of his friends’ hard-earned success. / Remove that tainted view and learn to appreciate others.
Similar Expressions: Ruined perspective / Biased outlook
42. Unfulfilled desire
Definition: A persistent, envious craving for something you cannot attain.
Used in a Sentence: Wanting every new toy on television leads to unfulfilled desire. / She learned to let go of unfulfilled desires and love her books.
Similar Expressions: Empty longing / Unmet wish
43. Walking shadow
Definition: A person consumed by envy who fails to live their own life happily.
Used in a Sentence: Do not spend your days as a walking shadow envying other people’s clothes. / He snapped out of his envious walking shadow phase and started studying.
Similar Expressions: Envious drifter / Bitter ghost
44. Wanting the world
Definition: An exaggerated way to describe someone who envies everything others have.
Used in a Sentence: He acts like he is wanting the world when he sees his brother’s birthday gifts. / Stop wanting the world and be thankful for your own books.
Similar Expressions: Greedily envying / Demanding everything
45. Watching from the sidelines
Definition: Feeling left out and envious while others succeed or have fun.
Used in a Sentence: He spent the afternoon watching from the sidelines with quiet envy. / Instead of watching from the sidelines, join in the fun and stop envying.
Similar Expressions: Standing apart / Envious observer
46. Weathered jealousy
Definition: Long-standing envy that has hardened into bitterness over years.
Used in a Sentence: Their family feud was fueled by weathered jealousy over property lines. / Letting go of weathered jealousy brings peace.
Similar Expressions: Deep-seated envy / Aged bitterness
47. Weeping with envy
Definition: Crying out of pure frustration and jealousy over another person’s win.
Used in a Sentence: She joked that she was weeping with envy when her friend won the art contest. / He hid his face, pretending to be weeping with envy.
Similar Expressions: Crying jealously / Sobbing with envy
48. Wistful gaze
Definition: A soft, longing look full of quiet envy and sadness.
Used in a Sentence: She cast a wistful gaze at the puppy in the pet store window. / He watched the baseball team play with a wistful gaze of envy.
Similar Expressions: Longing stare / Envious look
49. Yellow with jaundice
Definition: An old idiom sometimes linked to bitterness and green or yellow envy.
Used in a Sentence: The grumpy character looked yellow with jaundice when others celebrated. / He felt bitter and yellow with jaundice about the promotion.
Similar Expressions: Bitterly jealous / Envenomed
50. Zero sum game
Definition: Envying others because you believe their success means your automatic failure.
Used in a Sentence: Life is not a zero sum game, so don’t envy your friends when they win. / Stop treating classroom quizzes like a zero sum game filled with envy.
Similar Expressions: Competitive envy / Win-lose mindset
Exercise to Practice
- Seeing my brand new bicycle parked outside made my neighbor go green with envy.
- She spent the afternoon celebrating her own success without a single drop of jealousy.
- His face turned red with envy when he saw the grand prize trophy go to his teammate.
- She spent all afternoon joyfully cheering for others while feeling zero longing.
- He walked around school with a big chip on his shoulder, envying everyone’s success.
- Buying a fancy new car just to keep up with the Joneses is a waste of money.
- He cast a joyful, loving eye at my brand new electronic tablet without any greed.
- She spent hours lost in longing over fashion magazines, envying the models.
- He gave the competition winner a warm, supportive hug filled with genuine happiness.
- She shot an envious glance at my new sneakers and wished she had them.
- He was sick with envy when he saw his neighbor drive past in a new sports car.
- She happily shared her toys and acted like a selfish dog in the manger all day.
- He spent the afternoon watching from the sidelines with quiet envy.
- She spent all her free time celebrating her friends without any unfulfilled desires.
- He watched the baseball team play with a wistful gaze of envy.
Answer Key
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
Conclusion
Learning these idioms helps you describe feelings of envy, jealousy, and longing using colorful and expressive language. Try using a few of these expressions in your stories or daily conversations when talking about human emotions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common idioms for envy?
Common idioms for envy include phrases like green with envy, grass is always greener on the other side, and green-eyed monster. These expressions help describe jealousy and longing in daily life.
Why do we use idioms to describe envy?
Idioms give us vivid and memorable ways to express complex emotional states like jealousy that plain words sometimes cannot capture. They make storytelling and describing character feelings much more engaging.
How can I practice using envy idioms?
You can practice by using these phrases when writing stories about characters learning gratitude instead of jealousy. Matching them to everyday relatable scenarios is also very helpful.
Are envy idioms always negative?
Most envy idioms describe negative emotional states like bitterness or longing, but using them in stories helps teach valuable lessons about contentment. Context helps you understand how to use each phrase properly.
Can idioms help me understand character flaws in stories?
Yes, recognizing these expressions helps you understand character motivations, conflicts, and personal growth in books and movies much more clearly.
