Idioms are vivid, evocative expressions that add a colorful and relatable dimension to conversations about jealousy, capturing the complex emotions of envy, resentment, or longing for what others possess with striking imagery and emotional depth. Whether you’re describing the sting of seeing someone else’s success, the ache of unfulfilled desires, or the subtle bitterness of comparison, these idioms bring a layer of expressiveness to your discussions, making them more engaging and poignant.
In this comprehensive listicle, we’ll explore 57 idioms related to jealousy, unpacking their meanings and illustrating how they can articulate the nuances of this powerful emotion. So, let’s dive into this rich collection of idioms and discover how they can convey the multifaceted nature of envy with flair and resonance.
What is an Idiom for Jealousy?
Idioms for jealousy are figurative phrases that describe the feelings of envy, resentment, or desire for someone else’s possessions, achievements, or qualities, often using metaphors of bitterness, burning, or longing to highlight the emotional intensity. These expressions make conversations about jealousy—whether in personal relationships, professional settings, or social contexts—more dynamic and relatable, offering a way to express complex emotions with vivid clarity. Below, we’ll explore each idiom, explain its meaning, and provide a long sentence to illustrate its use in context.
Idioms for Jealousy
1. Green with Envy
Meaning: Intensely jealous or envious, often with a visible emotional reaction.
In a Sentence: When she saw her colleague receive the promotion she’d been vying for, she turned green with envy, struggling to hide her resentment behind a forced smile at the office celebration.
2. Eat Your Heart Out
Meaning: To feel intense jealousy or longing for someone’s success or possessions.
In a Sentence: As he flaunted his brand-new sports car, he seemed to say, “Eat your heart out,” knowing his neighbors were consumed with jealousy over his flashy purchase.
3. Burn with Jealousy
Meaning: To feel an intense, almost painful envy toward someone’s achievements or advantages.
In a Sentence: Watching her rival accept the prestigious award, she burned with jealousy, her heart aching at the thought of someone else basking in the recognition she craved.
4. The Green-Eyed Monster
Meaning: Jealousy personified as a destructive, envious force.
In a Sentence: The green-eyed monster reared its head when she overheard her friend’s engagement announcement, stirring feelings of envy that she struggled to suppress during the joyful moment.
5. Covet Someone’s Thunder
Meaning: To be jealous of someone’s attention or success and want it for oneself.
In a Sentence: He coveted her thunder after she won the talent show, wishing he could have been the one receiving the crowd’s applause and admiration for his own performance.
6. Sick with Envy
Meaning: Feeling physically or emotionally unwell due to intense jealousy.
In a Sentence: Seeing her classmate’s perfect exam scores posted publicly left her sick with envy, as she grappled with the bitter realization that her own grades fell short of such excellence.
7. Have Your Nose Out of Joint
Meaning: To feel jealous or resentful because someone else is getting attention or favor.
In a Sentence: When the new intern was praised by the boss, the veteran employee had her nose out of joint, feeling overlooked despite her years of dedication to the company.
8. Grudge Someone’s Success
Meaning: To feel resentful or jealous of someone’s achievements.
In a Sentence: He grudged his brother’s success in launching a thriving startup, unable to shake the envy that bubbled up every time their family celebrated his accomplishments.
9. Die of Envy
Meaning: To feel extreme jealousy, as if it’s overwhelming or consuming.
In a Sentence: When she saw her friend’s luxurious vacation photos from the Maldives, she felt like she could die of envy, longing to experience such a glamorous getaway herself.
10. Green with Jealousy
Meaning: Experiencing strong envy, similar to “green with envy.”
In a Sentence: As her coworker showed off her stunning engagement ring, she turned green with jealousy, imagining how it would feel to be the one celebrating such a milestone.
11. Envy Eats at You
Meaning: Jealousy that gnaws at your emotions, causing persistent discomfort.
In a Sentence: Watching her neighbor’s constant stream of new designer clothes, envy ate at her, making it hard to focus on her own life without feeling inadequate in comparison.
12. Cast an Envious Eye
Meaning: To look at something with jealousy or longing.
In a Sentence: She cast an envious eye at her friend’s sleek new laptop, wishing she could afford such a high-end device to replace her outdated, sluggish machine.
13. Sour Grapes
Meaning: Pretending to disdain something because you’re jealous and can’t have it.
In a Sentence: Dismissing the exclusive club as “overrated,” his sour grapes were obvious, as he was clearly jealous of his friends who had gained membership to the prestigious group.
14. Begrudge Someone’s Happiness
Meaning: To feel jealous or resentful of someone’s joy or success.
In a Sentence: Though she tried to be supportive, she couldn’t help but begrudge her sister’s happiness, envying the effortless way she seemed to attract love and success.
15. Seethe with Envy
Meaning: To feel intense, simmering jealousy that’s hard to conceal.
In a Sentence: As her teammate was celebrated for landing the big client, she seethed with envy, her smile masking the frustration of being overshadowed in the workplace yet again.
16. Eat Your Heart Out with Jealousy
Meaning: To feel overwhelming envy that consumes your emotions.
In a Sentence: Seeing her rival’s artwork featured in a renowned gallery, she ate her heart out with jealousy, tormented by the thought that her own creations hadn’t gained such recognition.
17. Turn Green
Meaning: To visibly show jealousy or envy.
In a Sentence: When her cousin announced her acceptance into an Ivy League university, she couldn’t help but turn green, wishing she had achieved such a prestigious academic milestone.
18. Envy’s Bitter Pill
Meaning: The painful feeling of jealousy that’s hard to swallow.
In a Sentence: Watching her best friend buy a stunning new house was envy’s bitter pill, as she struggled to reconcile her happiness for them with her own unfulfilled dreams of homeownership.
19. Green with Resentment
Meaning: Feeling intense jealousy mixed with bitterness.
In a Sentence: As her colleague was promoted to a role she’d applied for, she turned green with resentment, grappling with the unfairness of being passed over despite her qualifications.
20. Sting of Envy
Meaning: A sharp, painful feeling of jealousy.
In a Sentence: The sting of envy hit her hard when she saw her peer’s social media post about their luxurious European tour, a trip she could only dream of affording.
21. Pangs of Jealousy
Meaning: Sudden, sharp feelings of envy that cause emotional discomfort.
In a Sentence: She felt pangs of jealousy every time her friend mentioned her new relationship, longing for the kind of romantic connection that seemed to elude her.
22. Covet Someone’s Crown
Meaning: To be jealous of someone’s position, success, or status.
In a Sentence: He coveted his boss’s crown, envying the authority and respect that came with leading the company while he remained stuck in a mid-level role.
23. Green-Eyed Glance
Meaning: A look filled with jealousy or envy.
In a Sentence: She shot a green-eyed glance at her classmate’s designer backpack, wishing she could afford such a stylish accessory instead of her worn-out bag.
24. Boil with Envy
Meaning: To feel intense, almost uncontrollable jealousy.
In a Sentence: Seeing her rival win the scholarship she’d worked tirelessly for made her boil with envy, her emotions bubbling over as she struggled to maintain her composure.
25. Jealousy’s Bite
Meaning: The sharp, painful feeling of envy that affects you deeply.
In a Sentence: Jealousy’s bite struck her when her coworker received public praise for a project she’d contributed to, leaving her feeling unacknowledged and resentful.
26. Look with Envy
Meaning: To gaze at something with a desire to have it, driven by jealousy.
In a Sentence: She looked with envy at her neighbor’s beautifully landscaped garden, wishing her own yard could match such pristine beauty without the time and expense.
27. Envy’s Sting
Meaning: The sharp, emotional pain caused by jealousy.
In a Sentence: Envy’s sting pierced her heart when she saw her friend’s engagement photos, reminding her of her own longing for a committed relationship that remained out of reach.
28. Green with Longing
Meaning: Feeling intense envy mixed with a deep desire for what someone else has.
In a Sentence: As her colleague described their luxurious beach vacation, she turned green with longing, dreaming of escaping to a tropical paradise but unable to afford such a trip.
29. Resent Someone’s Fortune
Meaning: To feel jealous or bitter about someone’s good luck or success.
In a Sentence: He resented his friend’s fortune after they won a substantial lottery prize, struggling to celebrate their windfall while grappling with his own financial struggles.
30. Envy’s Gnawing
Meaning: A persistent, nagging feeling of jealousy that eats away at you.
In a Sentence: Envy’s gnawing consumed her as she watched her peer’s rapid rise in the company, wondering why her own hard work hadn’t yielded similar recognition or rewards.
31. Wish You Were in Their Shoes
Meaning: To be jealous of someone’s situation or success, wanting to take their place.
In a Sentence: Seeing her friend’s carefree life of travel and adventure, she wished she were in their shoes, envying the freedom that contrasted with her demanding job.
32. Green-Eyed Resentment
Meaning: Jealousy mixed with bitterness toward someone’s advantages.
In a Sentence: Green-eyed resentment surged within her when her sibling bought a luxurious new car, highlighting the financial gap that made such purchases unattainable for her.
33. Covet Someone’s Glory
Meaning: To be jealous of someone’s fame, success, or recognition.
In a Sentence: He coveted his teammate’s glory after they were named MVP, yearning for the spotlight and accolades that accompanied such a prestigious title.
34. Envy’s Shadow
Meaning: The lingering, darkening effect of jealousy on one’s emotions.
In a Sentence: Envy’s shadow loomed over her as she watched her friend’s thriving career, casting doubt on her own achievements and fueling a quiet resentment she struggled to shake.
35. Burn with Resentment
Meaning: To feel intense jealousy mixed with anger or bitterness.
In a Sentence: She burned with resentment when her colleague was chosen to lead the high-profile project, feeling that her own contributions had been unfairly overlooked by management.
36. Jealousy’s Claws
Meaning: The gripping, painful hold of envy on one’s emotions.
In a Sentence: Jealousy’s claws tightened around her heart as she saw her rival’s artwork displayed prominently, wishing her own creations could garner such widespread admiration.
37. Green with Covetousness
Meaning: Feeling intense envy and a strong desire to possess what someone else has.
In a Sentence: She turned green with covetousness when her friend showed off their custom-designed home, dreaming of owning a similarly stunning space but knowing it was beyond her means.
38. Envy Someone’s Spotlight
Meaning: To be jealous of the attention or recognition someone else receives.
In a Sentence: He envied his coworker’s spotlight during the company awards, wishing he could have been the one celebrated for his behind-the-scenes efforts on the successful project.
39. Bitter with Envy
Meaning: Feeling deep resentment or jealousy that sours one’s emotions.
In a Sentence: She grew bitter with envy as her classmate’s academic achievements were constantly praised, overshadowing her own steady progress and leaving her feeling undervalued.
40. Yearn for Someone’s Place
Meaning: To be jealous and desire to take someone’s position or status.
In a Sentence: Watching the CEO deliver a captivating speech, he yearned for her place, envying the power and influence that came with leading such a prominent organization.
41. Envy’s Fire
Meaning: The intense, burning sensation of jealousy that consumes you.
In a Sentence: Envy’s fire raged within her when her friend announced their new book deal, as she longed for the literary success that seemed to come so easily to others.
42. Green-Eyed Longing
Meaning: A deep, envious desire for what someone else possesses.
In a Sentence: Green-eyed longing washed over her as she scrolled through her friend’s photos of their world travels, wishing she could experience such adventures instead of her routine life.
43. Resent Someone’s Edge
Meaning: To feel jealous of someone’s advantage or superior position.
In a Sentence: He resented his competitor’s edge in the market, envying their access to cutting-edge technology that gave them an unfair advantage in attracting clients.
44. Jealousy’s Venom
Meaning: The toxic, destructive nature of envy that poisons one’s thoughts.
In a Sentence: Jealousy’s venom coursed through her as she watched her peer receive accolades, tainting her ability to genuinely celebrate their success with bitter thoughts of her own shortcomings.
45. Covet Someone’s Prize
Meaning: To be jealous and desire someone else’s reward or achievement.
In a Sentence: She coveted her teammate’s prize for best presenter, wishing she could have been the one holding the trophy and basking in the team’s admiration.
46. Envy’s Grip
Meaning: The tight, controlling hold that jealousy has on one’s emotions.
In a Sentence: Envy’s grip tightened as she watched her cousin’s lavish wedding unfold, her heart heavy with longing for a celebration she couldn’t afford to replicate.
47. Green with Bitterness
Meaning: Feeling intense jealousy mixed with resentment or anger.
In a Sentence: She turned green with bitterness when her colleague was invited to an exclusive industry event, feeling excluded from opportunities she believed she deserved.
48. Long for Someone’s Fortune
Meaning: To feel jealous and deeply desire someone’s wealth or success.
In a Sentence: He longed for his friend’s fortune after seeing their sprawling mansion, envying the financial security that seemed so far out of reach in his own modest circumstances.
49. Envy’s Thorn
Meaning: The sharp, persistent pain of jealousy that lingers.
In a Sentence: Envy’s thorn pricked her every time her sibling’s accomplishments were praised at family gatherings, reminding her of her own struggles to measure up.
50. Green-Eyed Bitterness
Meaning: A mix of jealousy and resentment that colors one’s perspective.
In a Sentence: Green-eyed bitterness clouded her judgment as she watched her peer’s rapid promotion, making it hard to focus on her own career without feeling unfairly left behind.
51. Covet Someone’s Spotlight
Meaning: To be jealous of the attention or fame someone else receives.
In a Sentence: She coveted her friend’s spotlight as they were interviewed on television, yearning for the kind of public recognition that had always eluded her own efforts.
52. Jealousy’s Weight
Meaning: The heavy emotional burden caused by envy.
In a Sentence: Jealousy’s weight pressed down on her as she saw her colleague’s new office, a symbol of success that highlighted her own stagnation in a less prestigious role.
53. Green with Desire
Meaning: Feeling intense envy and a strong wish to have what someone else has.
In a Sentence: She turned green with desire when her friend showed off their latest tech gadgets, craving the cutting-edge devices that her budget could never accommodate.
54. Envy Someone’s Charm
Meaning: To be jealous of someone’s charisma or appeal.
In a Sentence: He envied his coworker’s charm, wishing he could effortlessly captivate clients the way they did during presentations, winning over everyone with ease.
55. Resent Someone’s Rise
Meaning: To feel jealous or bitter about someone’s rapid success or advancement.
In a Sentence: She resented her peer’s rise to management, envying how quickly they climbed the corporate ladder while she remained stuck in the same role despite her hard work.
56. Jealousy’s Burn
Meaning: The intense, fiery sensation of envy that affects you deeply.
In a Sentence: Jealousy’s burn consumed her as she watched her rival receive the industry award, her heart aching with the desire to be the one standing on the stage.
57. Green-Eyed Yearning
Meaning: A deep, envious longing for someone else’s situation or possessions.
In a Sentence: Green-eyed yearning overwhelmed her as she toured her friend’s newly renovated home, dreaming of a space so elegant but knowing it was far beyond her financial reach.
Quizzes About The Idioms in The Article
Quiz 1: Green with Envy
What does the idiom “Green with envy” mean?
a) Feeling happy for someone
b) Intensely jealous or envious
c) Being physically ill
d) Ignoring someone’s success
Quiz 2: The Green-Eyed Monster
What is the meaning of “The green-eyed monster”?
a) A friendly gesture
b) Jealousy personified as a destructive force
c) A calm emotion
d) A literal creature
Quiz 3: Eat Your Heart Out
When someone says “Eat your heart out,” what are they expressing?
a) Sympathy
b) Intense jealousy or longing
c) Gratitude
d) Indifference
Quiz 4: Sour Grapes
What does the idiom “Sour grapes” suggest?
a) Genuine dislike
b) Pretending to disdain something due to jealousy
c) Celebrating success
d) Offering support
Quiz 5: Burn with Jealousy
What situation is described by “Burn with jealousy”?
a) Feeling calm
b) Intense, painful envy
c) Being content
d) Ignoring others
Quiz 6: Have Your Nose Out of Joint
If someone has their “nose out of joint,” what does it mean?
a) They are joyful
b) They feel jealous or resentful
c) They are indifferent
d) They are focused
Quiz 7: Cast an Envious Eye
What does “Cast an envious eye” imply?
a) Looking with admiration
b) Looking with jealousy or longing
c) Avoiding a glance
d) Offering praise
Quiz 8: Seethe with Envy
When is it appropriate to say “Seethe with envy”?
a) When feeling calm
b) When feeling intense, simmering jealousy
c) When celebrating
d) When uninterested
Quiz 9: Pangs of Jealousy
What is the meaning of “Pangs of jealousy”?
a) Mild curiosity
b) Sudden, sharp feelings of envy
c) Complete satisfaction
d) Casual interest
Quiz 10: Envy’s Bitter Pill
When something is “envy’s bitter pill,” what is it?
a) A joyful experience
b) A painful feeling of jealousy
c) A simple task
d) A neutral emotion
Answers:
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
Conclusion
Idioms for jealousy are like emotional brushstrokes, painting vivid pictures of envy, resentment, and longing that make conversations about these complex feelings more expressive and relatable. Whether you’re navigating the sting of comparison, the ache of unfulfilled desires, or the bitterness of someone else’s success, these idioms offer a creative way to articulate the nuances of jealousy. Sprinkle them into your discussions to capture the intensity of envy with depth, clarity, and a touch of poetic flair.