needier; neediest
1
: being in want : poverty-stricken
needy families
… where needy children from the community could come to get free, nutritious meals.—
Liza N. Burby
Liza N. Burby2
: marked by want of affection, attention, or emotional support
emotionally needy
The girl was needy for her mother's affection.
neediness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of needy in a Sentence
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
Looking like the cross between a spermatozoon and a tadpole, this needy, frail little infant is wrapped tightly in swaddling clothes, resting on the dresser and then the drawer of poor Jack Nance’s apartment in an industrial hellscape.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2025
There’s William Shawn, who was a mentor to Michaels and who ran this magazine for thirty-five years, corralling a gang of talented, needy egos in order to produce a weekly publication.
—Susan Morrison, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Carter furnished a plane and pilot, and Rogers canceled his showbiz engagements to begin stumping all over Texas to raise money for needy farmers and the unemployed, Fairley wrote.
—Matt Leclercq, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Jan. 2025
Politicians can always find a rationalization to spend taxpayer money on an unending list of needy programs coupled with a self-congratulatory press release.
—Len Fasano, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2025
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Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2025
There’s William Shawn, who was a mentor to Michaels and who ran this magazine for thirty-five years, corralling a gang of talented, needy egos in order to produce a weekly publication.
—Susan Morrison, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Carter furnished a plane and pilot, and Rogers canceled his showbiz engagements to begin stumping all over Texas to raise money for needy farmers and the unemployed, Fairley wrote.
—Matt Leclercq, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Jan. 2025
Politicians can always find a rationalization to spend taxpayer money on an unending list of needy programs coupled with a self-congratulatory press release.
—Len Fasano, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for needy
Dictionary Entries Near needy
Cite this Entry
“Needy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needy. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
needy
adjective
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
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