needy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈnē-dē How to pronounce needy (audio)
needier; neediest
Synonyms of needy
1
: being in want : poverty-stricken
needy families
… where needy children from the community could come to get free, nutritious meals.—Liza N. Burby
2
: marked by want of affection, attention, or emotional support
emotionally needy
The girl was needy for her mother's affection.
neediness noun

neediness

2 of 2

noun

need·​i·​ness
ˈnēdēnə̇s
plural -es
: the quality or state of being needy

Synonyms of needy

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of needy in a Sentence

Adjective As a child, she was extremely needy and had no self-confidence. those generous souls who regularly give money and donate clothes to help the needy
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
The Dolphins, resting their talent-needy starting defense, fought with backups that will provide substandard depth this season. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The problem is there’s probably too much good film on Daniels in a QB-needy league to attempt to successfully sneak him through waivers. — Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026 His letters bring him rushing onto the page—needy and self-mocking, jealous yet helplessly in love. — Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026 The charity was created to connect needy families to churches and other community groups to help move them off of government assistance. — Liv Caputo, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for needy

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English nedynes, from nedy needy + -nes -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of needy was in the 12th century

Phrases Containing needy

Rhymes for needy

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Browse Nearby Words

needs
needy
neeld
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Needy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needy. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

needy

adjective
ˈnēd-ē How to pronounce needy (audio)
needier; neediest
1
: being in want : very poor
needy families
2
: marked by want of affection, attention, or emotional support
a tendency to be emotionally needy
neediness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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