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Idioms are fun phrases where the words together mean something totally different from what they say one by one. People use them to make talking and writing more colorful, exciting, and full of life. Today, you are going to learn a bunch of helpful idioms that all have to do with jealousy and wanting what others have.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms for jealousy that mean feeling envious, coveting possessions, and wishing for success. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Jealousy
1. Green-eyed monster
Meaning: A metaphorical way of describing the intense feeling of jealousy inside someone.
For Example: When his friend got a brand new bicycle, the green-eyed monster took over. / Letting the green-eyed monster win only ruins your happiness for others.
Other Ways to Say: Jealousy / Envious feeling
2. Eat your heart out
Meaning: A playful phrase telling someone to feel jealous or envious of your success.
For Example: Look at my new championship trophy and eat your heart out! / Winning the art contest made him tell his classmates to eat their hearts out.
Other Ways to Say: Be jealous / Envy me
3. Keep up with the Joneses
Meaning: Trying to buy everything your neighbors have out of jealousy or status.
For Example: Buying expensive toys just to keep up with the Joneses is a silly habit. / Focus on your own family instead of trying to keep up with the Joneses.
Other Ways to Say: Compete socially / Match neighbors
4. Covet thy neighbor
Meaning: An old-fashioned expression meaning wanting what belongs to someone else.
For Example: Learning to be content means you shouldn’t covet thy neighbor’s new toy. / Sharing what you have is better than trying to covet thy neighbor’s belongings.
Other Ways to Say: Envy others / Want possessions
5. Bitter pill to swallow
Meaning: Watching someone else succeed while you struggle with jealousy.
For Example: Watching his rival win the award was a bitter pill to swallow. / Accepting that someone else got the lead role was a bitter pill to swallow.
Other Ways to Say: Hard truth / Difficult loss
6. Sour grapes
Meaning: Pretending you do not want something valuable just because you cannot have it.
For Example: He said the prize wasn’t even cool, but it was just sour grapes. / Claiming you don’t like winning is just sour grapes when you lose.
Other Ways to Say: Fake dislike / Jealous denial
7. Wish you were in their shoes
Meaning: Wanting to trade places with someone because you envy their life.
For Example: Seeing the talented musician play made me wish I was in their shoes. / Don’t wish you were in their shoes; appreciate your own special talents.
Other Ways to Say: Envy someone / Trade places
8. Envious gaze
Meaning: Looking at someone’s possessions or success with quiet jealousy.
For Example: He looked at his friend’s new bicycle with an envious gaze. / She cast an envious gaze toward the winner’s ribbon.
Other Ways to Say: Jealous look / Envious stare
9. Green with envy
Meaning: Experiencing such strong jealousy that it shows in your attitude.
For Example: When he saw my brand new skateboard, he was green with envy. / She turned green with envy when her sister won the art prize.
Other Ways to Say: Very jealous / Highly envious
10. Dog in the manger
Meaning: Being jealous and selfish by stopping others from using what you don’t want.
For Example: Refusing to let anyone else play with the game you aren’t using is acting like a dog in the manger. / Sharing toys is better than acting like a dog in the manger.
Other Ways to Say: Selfish envy / Spiteful hoarding
11. Covetous eyes
Meaning: Looking at someone else’s items with greedy and jealous desire.
For Example: He looked at the delicious chocolate cake with covetous eyes. / She stared at the art supplies with covetous eyes.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy look / Envious stare
12. Jealous streak
Meaning: A natural tendency to feel brief moments of envy toward others.
For Example: Everyone has a tiny jealous streak sometimes, but it is important to share. / Overcoming a jealous streak makes friendships much stronger.
Other Ways to Say: Envious habit / Moment of envy
13. Burning with envy
Meaning: Feeling an intense, hot wave of jealousy inside your chest.
For Example: When his teammate scored the winning goal, he was burning with envy. / Seeing her friend’s new puppy left her burning with envy.
Other Ways to Say: Extremely jealous / Envious
14. Poisoned by jealousy Meaning: Allowing negative envious feelings to ruin your relationships.
Meaning: Allowing negative envious feelings to ruin your relationships.
For Example: He felt poisoned by jealousy when others won the science fair. / Let go of anger so you aren’t poisoned by jealousy.
Other Ways to Say: Ruined by envy / Bitter
15. Eyeing someone’s prize Meaning: Looking jealously at what another person won or earned.
Meaning: Looking jealously at what another person won or earned.
For Example: He spent the whole assembly eyeing someone’s prize ribbon. / Stop eyeing someone’s prize and focus on your own work.
Other Ways to Say: Envy reward / Jealous look
16. Envy of the town Meaning: Being so successful that everyone else feels jealous of you.
Meaning: Being so successful that everyone else feels jealous of you.
For Example: Their beautifully decorated garden became the envy of the town. / Winning the regional championship made the team the envy of the town.
Other Ways to Say: Admired / Desired by all
17. Object of envy Meaning: Something or someone that everyone else wants to have or be.
Meaning: Something or someone that everyone else wants to have or be.
For Example: Her shiny new red bicycle became the object of envy in the neighborhood. / Winning the grand prize made him the object of envy at school.
Other Ways to Say: Envious focus / Desired prize
18. Covet possessions Meaning: Wanting to own things that belong to other people.
Meaning: Wanting to own things that belong to other people.
For Example: Learning gratitude helps stop you from wanting to covet possessions. / Enjoying your own books is better than choosing to covet possessions.
Other Ways to Say: Desire items / Envy property
19. Keeping score Meaning: Comparing your success jealously against what others achieve.
Meaning: Comparing your success jealously against what others achieve.
For Example: Friendship is about supporting each other, not keeping score. / Stop keeping score of who gets more praise and just do your best.
Other Ways to Say: Compare constantly / Measure success
20. Resentful glance Meaning: Looking at someone with bitter jealousy and anger.
Meaning: Looking at someone with bitter jealousy and anger.
For Example: He shot a resentful glance at the student who won the award. / She offered a resentful glance when her turn was skipped.
Other Ways to Say: Bitter look / Angry stare
21. Bitter rivalry Meaning: A fierce competition fueled by mutual jealousy and anger.
Meaning: A fierce competition fueled by mutual jealousy and anger.
For Example: The two soccer teams shared a bitter rivalry throughout the season. / Turning a bitter rivalry into friendship takes kindness.
Other Ways to Say: Fierce contest / Envious competition
22. Green envy Meaning: A short way of saying intense, colorful jealousy.
Meaning: A short way of saying intense, colorful jealousy.
For Example: A flash of green envy hit him when he saw the new video game. / Overcome green envy by celebrating others’ wins.
Other Ways to Say: Jealousy / Envy
23. Covetous desire Meaning: A strong, greedy wish to own someone else’s belongings.
Meaning: A strong, greedy wish to own someone else’s belongings.
For Example: He looked at his brother’s new toy with a covetous desire. / Learning to share cures any covetous desire.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy wish / Envious craving
24. Jealous fit Meaning: A sudden emotional outburst caused by extreme envy.
Meaning: A sudden emotional outburst caused by extreme envy.
For Example: Throwing toys because someone else got a turn was a childish jealous fit. / She had a brief jealous fit when her sister received a gift.
Other Ways to Say: Envious outburst / Tantrum of envy
25. Envious streak Meaning: A persistent tendency to feel jealous of others’ success.
Meaning: A persistent tendency to feel jealous of others’ success.
For Example: He worked hard to overcome an envious streak in sports. / Recognizing an envious streak helps you become a better friend.
Other Ways to Say: Jealous habit / Envious trait
26. Covetous glance Meaning: A quick, greedy look at something you wish you owned.
Meaning: A quick, greedy look at something you wish you owned.
For Example: She tossed a covetous glance at the delicious slice of cake. / He threw a covetous glance at his friend’s new comic book.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy look / Envious peek
27. Bitter competitor Meaning: Someone who feels angry and jealous when they lose a game.
Meaning: Someone who feels angry and jealous when they lose a game.
For Example: Good sportsmanship means not acting like a bitter competitor when defeated. / He was a bitter competitor who hated losing board games.
Other Ways to Say: Sore loser / Envious rival
28. Jealous mind Meaning: A thought process clouded by constant comparison and envy.
Meaning: A thought process clouded by constant comparison and envy.
For Example: A jealous mind never finds true peace or happiness. / Letting go of comparison frees a jealous mind.
Other Ways to Say: Envious thoughts / Bitter thinking
29. Poisonous envy Meaning: Destructive jealousy that harms both the person and others.
Meaning: Destructive jealousy that harms both the person and others.
For Example: Avoid letting poisonous envy ruin your appreciation for friends. / Friendship cannot survive poisonous envy.
Other Ways to Say: Toxic jealousy / Destructive envy
30. Envious heart Meaning: An emotional state filled with sadness over others’ success.
Meaning: An emotional state filled with sadness over others’ success.
For Example: True joy comes from replacing an envious heart with gratitude. / She prayed to heal an envious heart and cheer for others.
Other Ways to Say: Jealous feelings / Envious spirit
31. Coveting what is not yours Meaning: Desiring items or achievements belonging to other people.
Meaning: Desiring items or achievements belonging to other people.
For Example: Appreciating your own items stops coveting what is not yours. / Stories often warn about the dangers of coveting what is not yours.
Other Ways to Say: Envy others / Wanting foreign goods
32. Keeping tabs on success Meaning: Enviously watching everything others achieve.
Meaning: Enviously watching everything others achieve.
For Example: Focus on your own growth instead of keeping tabs on success. / He spent hours keeping tabs on success of his classmates.
Other Ways to Say: Watching rivals / Tracking wins
33. Jealous glare Meaning: An angry, sharp look directed at someone out of envy.
Meaning: An angry, sharp look directed at someone out of envy.
For Example: She shot a jealous glare across the room toward the winner. / Receiving a jealous glare didn’t stop him from celebrating.
Other Ways to Say: Envious stare / Angry look
34. Envious whisper Meaning: Speaking quietly out of jealousy about someone else’s luck.
Meaning: Speaking quietly out of jealousy about someone else’s luck.
For Example: An envious whisper traveled through the hallway after the awards. / Ignore any envious whisper and be proud of friends.
Other Ways to Say: Jealous murmur / Envious talk
35. Bitter resentment Meaning: A deep, long-lasting anger caused by jealousy and unfairness.
Meaning: A deep, long-lasting anger caused by jealousy and unfairness.
For Example: Holding onto bitter resentment only hurts your own heart. / Forgiveness helps clear away bitter resentment.
Other Ways to Say: Deep anger / Envious grudge
36. Envious thoughts Meaning: Mental reflections wishing you had what someone else owns.
Meaning: Mental reflections wishing you had what someone else owns.
For Example: Replace envious thoughts with gratitude for what you have. / Envious thoughts can sneak in when seeing new gadgets.
Other Ways to Say: Jealous ideas / Envious mind
37. Covetous nature Meaning: A greedy personality that always wants more items.
Meaning: A greedy personality that always wants more items.
For Example: Sharing toys helps children overcome a covetous nature. / His covetous nature made him hoard all the board game pieces.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy trait / Envious disposition
38. Jealous urge Meaning: A sudden temptation to feel envious of a peer’s victory.
Meaning: A sudden temptation to feel envious of a peer’s victory.
For Example: He fought off a jealous urge when his friend won the prize. / Recognizing a jealous urge lets you choose kindness instead.
Other Ways to Say: Envious impulse / Jealous temptation
39. Envious comparison Meaning: Comparing yourself to others and feeling bad out of jealousy.
Meaning: Comparing yourself to others and feeling bad out of jealousy.
For Example: An envious comparison steals your joy in everyday life. / Stop making envious comparison and celebrate your own progress.
Other Ways to Say: Jealous measuring / Envious contrast
40. Bitter rivalry phase Meaning: A temporary period of fierce, jealous competition.
Meaning: A temporary period of fierce, jealous competition.
For Example: The cousins went through a bitter rivalry phase during board games. / Growing up helped them leave behind their bitter rivalry phase.
Other Ways to Say: Envious contest / Competitive stage
41. Green-eyed monster attack Meaning: A sudden surge of intense jealousy.
Meaning: A sudden surge of intense jealousy.
For Example: He felt a green-eyed monster attack when his brother got a new bike. / Overcoming a green-eyed monster attack takes deep breaths.
Other Ways to Say: Jealous wave / Envious surge
42. Envious spirit Meaning: An attitude characterized by constant comparison and jealousy.
Meaning: An attitude characterized by constant comparison and jealousy.
For Example: Cultivating gratitude chases away an envious spirit. / An envious spirit cannot enjoy simple blessings.
Other Ways to Say: Jealous attitude / Envious mood
43. Covetous grasp Meaning: Holding tightly onto things out of fear others will take them.
Meaning: Holding tightly onto things out of fear others will take them.
For Example: He kept his new toys in a covetous grasp during playtime. / Loosening a covetous grasp allows for generous sharing.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy hold / Envious grip
44. Jealous eye Meaning: Watching someone’s success with envy and suspicion.
Meaning: Watching someone’s success with envy and suspicion.
For Example: She kept a jealous eye on the remaining slices of cake. / He watched his rival with a jealous eye during the race.
Other Ways to Say: Envious watch / Jealous look
45. Envious craving Meaning: A strong desire to possess what someone else enjoys.
Meaning: A strong desire to possess what someone else enjoys.
For Example: Seeing the delicious snack created an envious craving in him. / Suppressing an envious craving takes self-control.
Other Ways to Say: Jealous desire / Envious longing
46. Bitter envy Meaning: Harsh, angry jealousy that brings no happiness.
Meaning: Harsh, angry jealousy that brings no happiness.
For Example: Harboring bitter envy prevents you from enjoying team victories. / Let go of bitter envy and support your peers.
Other Ways to Say: Harsh jealousy / Angry envy
47. Covetous longing Meaning: A deep, wistful wish to own someone else’s property.
Meaning: A deep, wistful wish to own someone else’s property.
For Example: He stared at the sports car with covetous longing. / Contentment replaces covetous longing with peace.
Other Ways to Say: Envious yearning / Greedy wish
48. Jealous sting Meaning: The emotional hurt felt when someone else succeeds.
Meaning: The emotional hurt felt when someone else succeeds.
For Example: He felt a jealous sting when his classmate won the spelling bee. / Ignoring the jealous sting helps you cheer for others genuinely.
Other Ways to Say: Envious hurt / Jealous pain
49. Envious shadow Meaning: Feeling overshadowed by someone else’s greater success.
Meaning: Feeling overshadowed by someone else’s greater success.
For Example: He hated living in his older brother’s envious shadow. / Step into your own light instead of walking in an envious shadow.
Other Ways to Say: Outshone / Envious gloom
50. Covetous hunger Meaning: An insatiable desire for things belonging to others.
Meaning: An insatiable desire for things belonging to others.
For Example: Buying more toys didn’t satisfy his covetous hunger. / Practicing gratitude calms a covetous hunger.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy craving / Envious appetite
51. Jealous tension Meaning: Awkwardness in a room caused by unspoken envy.
Meaning: Awkwardness in a room caused by unspoken envy.
For Example: You could cut the jealous tension with a knife after the awards. / Clearing the air removed the jealous tension among friends.
Other Ways to Say: Envious awkwardness / Jealous strain
52. Envious gaze locked Meaning: Staring fixedly at someone’s prize with jealousy.
Meaning: Staring fixedly at someone’s prize with jealousy.
For Example: With his envious gaze locked on the trophy, he stayed silent. / She kept her envious gaze locked on the dessert plate.
Other Ways to Say: Fixed envy / Staring jealously
53. Bitter grudge Meaning: A long-held resentment born from past jealousy or loss.
Meaning: A long-held resentment born from past jealousy or loss.
For Example: Holding a bitter grudge after losing a game is unnecessary. / Forgiveness helps drop any bitter grudge.
Other Ways to Say: Envious spite / Lasting anger
54. Covetous stare Meaning: Looking greedily and jealously at an object.
Meaning: Looking greedily and jealously at an object.
For Example: He fixed a covetous stare on the last chocolate chip cookie. / She offered a covetous stare toward the new art supplies.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy look / Envious glance
55. Jealous comparison Meaning: Measuring your worth against others out of envy.
Meaning: Measuring your worth against others out of envy.
For Example: A jealous comparison ruins the joy of your own achievements. / Focus on self-improvement instead of jealous comparison.
Other Ways to Say: Envious measuring / Jealous contrast
56. Envious pang Meaning: A sudden, sharp feeling of jealousy in your chest.
Meaning: A sudden, sharp feeling of jealousy in your chest.
For Example: She felt an envious pang when her friend got a new puppy. / An envious pang hit him when the award was announced.
Other Ways to Say: Sudden jealousy / Envious ache
57. Covetous spirit Meaning: A greedy attitude wanting everything others possess.
Meaning: A greedy attitude wanting everything others possess.
For Example: Giving gifts teaches children to conquer a covetous spirit. / A covetous spirit leaves a person constantly wanting more.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy attitude / Envious mind
58. Jealous whispered rumor Meaning: Spreading gossip born out of envy.
Meaning: Spreading gossip born out of envy.
For Example: A jealous whispered rumor tried to ruin the club president’s success. / Ignore any jealous whispered rumor and stay kind.
Other Ways to Say: Envious gossip / Jealous talk
59. Bitter rivalry spirit Meaning: An unfriendly competitive attitude driven by envy.
Meaning: An unfriendly competitive attitude driven by envy.
For Example: Their sports match turned sour due to a bitter rivalry spirit. / Cultivate teamwork instead of a bitter rivalry spirit.
Other Ways to Say: Envious competition / Spiteful contest
60. Pure jealousy Meaning: Absolute, unmixed feelings of envy and resentment.
Meaning: Absolute, unmixed feelings of envy and resentment.
For Example: Seeing the new bicycle filled him with pure jealousy at first. / Transforming pure jealousy into inspiration takes maturity.
Other Ways to Say: Absolute envy / Total jealousy
Exercise to Practice
- When his friend got a brand new bicycle, the green-eyed ________ took over.
- Look at my new championship trophy and eat your heart ________!
- Buying expensive toys just to keep up with the ________ is a silly habit.
- Watching his rival win the award was a bitter ________ to swallow.
- He said the prize wasn’t even cool, but it was just sour ________.
- When he saw my brand new skateboard, he was green with ________.
- Refusing to let anyone else play with the game you aren’t using is acting like a dog in the ________.
- When his teammate scored the winning goal, he was burning with ________.
- Their beautifully decorated garden became the envy of the ________.
- Stop keeping score of who gets more praise and just do your ________.
- He shot a resentful ________ at the student who won the award.
- Focus on your own growth instead of keeping tabs ________ success.
- She shot a jealous ________ across the room toward the winner.
- Holding a bitter grudge after losing a game is ________.
- Seeing the new bicycle filled him with pure ________ at first.
Answer Key
- monster
- out
- Joneses
- pill
- grapes
- envy
- manger
- envy
- town
- best
- glance
- on
- glare
- unnecessary
- jealousy
Conclusion
Learning idioms for jealousy helps you understand stories, character emotions, and everyday expressions of envy much better. When you know what these colorful phrases mean, you can recognize these feelings and choose gratitude and kindness instead.
Try using positive and encouraging words the next time your friends achieve something wonderful. Practicing happiness for others is a great way to build strong friendships and make your communication sound awesome.
