Idioms are vivid, figurative expressions that add depth and color to conversations, especially when describing complex human traits like greed, which reflects an excessive desire for wealth, power, or possessions. In this revealing listicle, we’ll explore 52 idioms related to greed, unpacking their meanings and showcasing how they can paint a picture of avarice, ambition, or selfishness in discussions about human behavior or societal values. Whether you’re critiquing a ruthless pursuit of profit or observing an insatiable appetite for more, these idioms will help you capture the essence of greed with nuance and flair. Let’s dive into this thought-provoking collection, break down each idiom, and discover how they can make your conversations about greed as compelling as the cautionary tales they evoke.
What is an Idiom for Greed?
Idioms for greed are metaphorical phrases that use imagery, cultural references, or analogies to describe an excessive or selfish desire for material gain, status, or resources. These idioms make conversations about greed more engaging, relatable, and expressive, turning observations about human nature into sharp, memorable commentary. Below, we’ll explore each idiom, provide its meaning, and illustrate its use with a long sentence that captures its essence in the context of greed.
Idioms for Greed
1. Money-Grubber
Meaning: Someone who is excessively eager to accumulate wealth.
In a Sentence: Sarah’s uncle was known as a money-grubber, tirelessly scheming to amass riches through shady deals, oblivious to the family bonds he severed in his relentless pursuit of profit.
2. Greedy Guts
Meaning: A playful or critical term for someone who wants more than their share.
In a Sentence: Ethan was called a greedy guts by his siblings when he demanded the largest slice of the inheritance, his eyes gleaming with an insatiable hunger for more than what was fair.
3. Grasp at Straws
Meaning: To desperately seek any opportunity, often out of greed.
In a Sentence: Mia’s decision to grasp at straws by investing in every dubious startup reflected her greedy ambition to strike it rich, even at the risk of losing her entire savings.
4. Have Sticky Fingers
Meaning: To have a tendency to take or steal due to greed.
In a Sentence: Zoe warned her team about the new manager who had sticky fingers, his greedy habit of skimming profits from projects threatening the company’s integrity and trust.
5. Eyes Bigger Than One’s Stomach
Meaning: Wanting more than one can handle or deserve.
In a Sentence: Lucas’s eyes were bigger than his stomach when he demanded a massive bonus despite his minimal contributions, his greedy overreach sparking resentment among his hardworking colleagues.
6. Rake It In
Meaning: To earn or accumulate wealth rapidly, often greedily.
In a Sentence: Emma was raking it in with her overpriced seminars, her greedy pricing strategy exploiting desperate attendees while her bank account swelled with ill-gotten gains.
7. Penny Pincher
Meaning: Someone who hoards money out of greed or stinginess.
In a Sentence: Sarah’s boss was a notorious penny pincher, greedily refusing to invest in new equipment, which left the team struggling with outdated tools while he boasted about his savings.
8. Gold Digger
Meaning: Someone who pursues wealth through relationships or manipulation.
In a Sentence: Ethan’s new partner was labeled a gold digger by his friends, her greedy pursuit of his fortune evident in her lavish demands and disinterest in his personal struggles.
9. Hog the Limelight
Meaning: To greedily seek attention or recognition.
In a Sentence: Mia hogged the limelight during the group presentation, her greedy need for praise overshadowing her teammates’ contributions and souring their collaborative spirit.
10. Grabby Hands
Meaning: A tendency to take more than one’s fair share out of greed.
In a Sentence: Zoe’s cousin had grabby hands at the family reunion, greedily snatching extra servings of dessert before others had a chance, much to the annoyance of the gathered relatives.
11. Bleed Someone Dry
Meaning: To exploit someone financially out of greed.
In a Sentence: Lucas’s landlord was accused of bleeding tenants dry, his greedy rent hikes and hidden fees draining their savings while he lived lavishly off their hard-earned money.
12. Milk It for All It’s Worth
Meaning: To exploit a situation or resource greedily for maximum gain.
In a Sentence: Emma milked her minor injury for all it was worth, greedily exaggerating her pain to secure a hefty settlement that far exceeded her actual medical expenses.
13. Gimme Gimme
Meaning: An expression of greedy, demanding behavior.
In a Sentence: Sarah’s toddler had a gimme gimme attitude at the toy store, his greedy insistence on grabbing every shiny item testing her patience and drawing disapproving glances.
14. Money Talks
Meaning: Wealth influences decisions, often due to greed.
In a Sentence: Ethan learned that money talks when his greedy competitor bribed officials to secure a contract, leaving his ethical proposal overlooked despite its superior quality.
15. Cash Cow
Meaning: A source of continuous profit, often exploited greedily.
In a Sentence: Mia treated her popular blog as a cash cow, greedily overloading it with ads and sponsored posts until her loyal readers abandoned the site in frustration.
16. All That Glitters Is Not Gold
Meaning: Things that appear valuable may not be, warning against greedy pursuits.
In a Sentence: Zoe reminded her friend that all that glitters is not gold when he chased a get-rich-quick scheme, his greedy hopes blinding him to the scam’s obvious red flags.
17. Bite Off More Than One Can Chew
Meaning: To take on more than one can handle out of greed.
In a Sentence: Lucas bit off more than he could chew by buying multiple properties to flip, his greedy ambition leading to financial strain when the market turned against him.
18. Greed Is Good
Meaning: A phrase glorifying the pursuit of wealth, often used ironically.
In a Sentence: Emma’s mentor smirked and said “greed is good” as he pushed her to upsell clients, his cynical advice revealing a worldview driven by profit over ethics.
19. Cut Corners
Meaning: To reduce quality or effort for greedy gain.
In a Sentence: Sarah’s contractor cut corners to save money, his greedy shortcuts resulting in shoddy repairs that collapsed under scrutiny, costing her more in the long run.
20. Dog Eat Dog
Meaning: A ruthless, greedy environment where people compete fiercely.
In a Sentence: Ethan thrived in the dog-eat-dog world of corporate mergers, his greedy tactics outmaneuvering rivals but leaving a trail of distrust among his peers.
21. Green-Eyed Monster
Meaning: Jealousy driven by greed or envy.
In a Sentence: Mia’s success sparked the green-eyed monster in her colleague, whose greedy envy led her to sabotage Mia’s project in a desperate bid for recognition.
22. Have One’s Cake and Eat It Too
Meaning: To greedily want everything without compromise.
In a Sentence: Zoe wanted to have her cake and eat it too, greedily demanding a high salary and minimal hours, which frustrated her employer and stalled negotiations.
23. Make a Quick Buck
Meaning: To earn money quickly, often through greedy or unethical means.
In a Sentence: Lucas tried to make a quick buck by selling counterfeit goods, his greedy scheme unraveling when angry customers demanded refunds and reported him to authorities.
24. Sell One’s Soul
Meaning: To compromise values for greedy gain.
In a Sentence: Emma felt she’d sold her soul by accepting a lucrative but unethical deal, her greedy decision haunting her as she grappled with the moral cost of her newfound wealth.
25. Feast One’s Eyes
Meaning: To greedily admire or desire something visually appealing.
In a Sentence: Sarah feasted her eyes on the luxurious yacht, her greedy longing for such opulence driving her to pursue risky investments in hopes of affording it someday.
26. Line One’s Pockets
Meaning: To accumulate wealth greedily, often dishonestly.
In a Sentence: Ethan was caught lining his pockets with company funds, his greedy embezzlement shattering the trust of his colleagues and landing him in legal trouble.
27. Hunger for Power
Meaning: A greedy desire for control or authority.
In a Sentence: Mia’s hunger for power drove her to undermine her boss, her greedy ambition for the top spot creating a toxic workplace that alienated her team.
28. Rob Peter to Pay Paul
Meaning: To solve one financial problem by creating another, often out of greed.
In a Sentence: Zoe was robbing Peter to pay Paul when she borrowed from one creditor to pay another, her greedy spending habits spiraling into a cycle of mounting debt.
29. Squeeze Every Penny
Meaning: To extract maximum profit greedily.
In a Sentence: Lucas squeezed every penny from his tenants, his greedy rent increases forcing families out while he ignored their pleas for basic repairs to the aging building.
30. Tight-Fisted
Meaning: Stingy or greedy with money.
In a Sentence: Emma’s tight-fisted uncle refused to share his vast wealth, his greedy hoarding leaving his struggling relatives resentful as he lived in solitary splendor.
31. Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Meaning: Someone who hides greedy intentions behind a kind facade.
In a Sentence: Sarah discovered her charming investor was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, his greedy motives revealed when he tried to seize control of her startup for profit.
32. Burn Bridges
Meaning: To destroy relationships for greedy gain.
In a Sentence: Ethan burned bridges with his partners by greedily taking credit for their work, his short-term gain costing him valuable allies in the competitive industry.
33. Chase Fool’s Gold
Meaning: To pursue worthless or unattainable wealth out of greed.
In a Sentence: Mia was chasing fool’s gold with her obsession over a shady crypto scheme, her greedy dreams of riches blinding her to the scam’s inevitable collapse.
34. Cook the Books
Meaning: To falsify financial records for greedy profit.
In a Sentence: Zoe’s accountant was caught cooking the books, his greedy manipulation of the company’s finances boosting short-term profits but leading to a devastating audit.
35. Greedy as a Pig
Meaning: Extremely selfish or voracious in one’s desires.
In a Sentence: Lucas was greedy as a pig at the estate sale, snapping up every valuable item before others could bid, his selfishness earning him glares from disappointed buyers.
36. Take the Money and Run
Meaning: To greedily profit and leave quickly, often irresponsibly.
In a Sentence: Emma took the money and ran after selling her failing business, her greedy exit leaving investors empty-handed and furious at her lack of accountability.
37. Live High on the Hog
Meaning: To live extravagantly, often fueled by greed.
In a Sentence: Sarah lived high on the hog after her shady deal, her greedy spending on luxury cars and vacations raising suspicions about the source of her sudden wealth.
38. Grab All the Marbles
Meaning: To take everything for oneself out of greed.
In a Sentence: Ethan grabbed all the marbles in the partnership, greedily claiming the lion’s share of profits while his co-founder was left with crumbs and bitterness.
39. Sell Out
Meaning: To betray values or allies for greedy gain.
In a Sentence: Mia sold out her environmental ideals by endorsing a polluting corporation, her greedy acceptance of their hefty paycheck tarnishing her once-respected reputation.
40. Skinflint
Meaning: A person who is excessively stingy or greedy.
In a Sentence: Zoe’s skinflint landlord refused to fix the leaking roof, his greedy reluctance to spend money forcing tenants to endure miserable conditions while he pocketed their rent.
41. Greed Over Need
Meaning: Prioritizing personal gain over others’ necessities.
In a Sentence: Lucas’s greed over need was evident when he hoarded supplies during the shortage, selling them at exorbitant prices while his neighbors struggled to afford basics.
42. Claw One’s Way to the Top
Meaning: To achieve success through ruthless, greedy means.
In a Sentence: Emma clawed her way to the top of the corporate ladder, her greedy ambition driving her to sabotage rivals and exploit every opportunity, no matter the cost to others.
43. Hoard Like a Dragon
Meaning: To greedily accumulate and guard wealth or resources.
In a Sentence: Sarah hoarded her inheritance like a dragon, her greedy refusal to share even a penny leaving her family estranged while she sat alone in her opulent mansion.
44. Feast While Others Starve
Meaning: To indulge greedily while others suffer.
In a Sentence: Ethan feasted while others starved, his greedy monopolization of the market driving competitors out of business and leaving their employees jobless and desperate.
45. Play Dirty
Meaning: To use unethical, greedy tactics to gain an advantage.
In a Sentence: Mia played dirty in the real estate deal, her greedy manipulation of contracts cheating her partner out of their fair share and sparking a bitter legal battle.
46. Hunger for More
Meaning: An insatiable, greedy desire for additional gain.
In a Sentence: Zoe’s hunger for more drove her to expand her empire recklessly, her greedy overreach collapsing when her overstretched resources couldn’t sustain her ambitious ventures.
47. Get One’s Claws Into
Meaning: To greedily seize control or possession of something.
In a Sentence: Lucas got his claws into the family business, his greedy takeover sidelining his siblings and turning a once-collaborative enterprise into his personal cash machine.
48. Worship the Almighty Dollar
Meaning: To prioritize money above all else out of greed.
In a Sentence: Emma worshipped the almighty dollar, her greedy obsession with wealth leading her to neglect her friendships and values in favor of endless financial pursuits.
49. Snatch and Grab
Meaning: To take something quickly and greedily.
In a Sentence: Sarah’s snatch-and-grab approach at the clearance sale left others empty-handed, her greedy rush to claim every deal earning her scorn from fellow shoppers.
50. Greedy Fingers
Meaning: A tendency to take or hoard out of greed.
In a Sentence: Ethan’s greedy fingers were all over the project budget, his unauthorized withdrawals for personal gain threatening the team’s ability to complete their work.
51. Never Enough
Meaning: An expression of insatiable greed, always wanting more.
In a Sentence: Mia’s never-enough mindset pushed her to demand higher commissions, her greedy dissatisfaction alienating clients who valued her work but tired of her constant haggling.
52. Gobble Up
Meaning: To consume or acquire greedily and quickly.
In a Sentence: Zoe gobbled up every available property in the neighborhood, her greedy real estate spree driving up prices and making homeownership a distant dream for local families.
Quizzes About The Idioms in The Article
Quiz 1: Money-Grubber
What does the idiom “Money-grubber” mean?
a) Someone who donates generously
b) Someone excessively eager to accumulate wealth
c) Someone who avoids money
d) Someone who shares wealth
Quiz 2: Greedy Guts
What is the meaning of “Greedy guts”?
a) Someone who eats healthily
b) Someone who wants more than their share
c) Someone who avoids excess
d) Someone who is generous
Quiz 3: Have Sticky Fingers
When someone has “sticky fingers,” what are they doing?
a) Sharing resources
b) Taking or stealing due to greed
c) Avoiding possessions
d) Helping others
Quiz 4: Rake It In
What does the idiom “Rake it in” suggest?
a) Losing money quickly
b) Earning wealth rapidly, often greedily
c) Saving money carefully
d) Giving away profits
Quiz 5: Penny Pincher
What situation is described by the idiom “Penny pincher”?
a) Someone who spends freely
b) Someone who hoards money greedily
c) Someone who invests wisely
d) Someone who donates often
Quiz 6: Gold Digger
If someone is a “gold digger,” what does it mean?
a) Someone who works hard for wealth
b) Someone who pursues wealth through relationships
c) Someone who avoids money
d) Someone who shares resources
Quiz 7: Bleed Someone Dry
What does the expression “Bleed someone dry” imply?
a) Helping someone financially
b) Exploiting someone financially out of greed
c) Sharing wealth equally
d) Saving money for someone
Quiz 8: Milk It for All It’s Worth
When is it appropriate to say, “Milk it for all it’s worth”?
a) When conserving resources
b) When exploiting a situation greedily
c) When sharing profits
d) When avoiding gain
Quiz 9: Line One’s Pockets
What is the meaning of “Line one’s pockets”?
a) Accumulating wealth greedily, often dishonestly
b) Spending money freely
c) Saving money carefully
d) Giving away wealth
Quiz 10: Greedy as a Pig
When someone is “greedy as a pig,” what are they doing?
a) Sharing generously
b) Being extremely selfish or voracious
c) Avoiding excess
d) Helping others
Answers:
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- a
- b
Conclusion
Idioms for greed are like verbal mirrors, reflecting the complexities of human desire, ambition, and selfishness with sharp imagery and poignant commentary. By weaving these 52 expressions into your conversations, you can critique avarice, highlight ethical dilemmas, or explore societal values with a vividness that sparks reflection and discussion. So, the next time you’re addressing the pitfalls of greed, let these idioms add depth and resonance to your words.