needy

adjective

ˈnē-dē 

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

2

: marked by want of affection, attention, or emotional support

emotionally needy

The girl was needy for her mother's affection.

neediness noun

Synonyms

• beggared
• beggarly
• broke
• destitute
• dirt-poor
• down-and-out
• famished
• hard up
• impecunious
• impoverished
• indigent
• necessitous
• needful
• pauperized
• penniless
• penurious
• poor
• poverty-stricken
• skint [chiefly British]
• threadbare

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

The potential causes of a needy bladder are pretty wide-ranging. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 9 Dec. 2024

Jean Smart’s aging comic still looking for industry validation and Hannah Einbinder’s needy Gen-Z writer are trapped in an endless cycle of building trust that inevitably gives way to betrayal. —Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 2024

The film stars Laetitia Dosch as a TV reporter juggling work commitments, motherhood and a toxic relationship with a needy ex-partner, played by Vincent Macaigne. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 2 Dec. 2024

The Syrian war also created opportunities for self-enrichment and corruption within the organization—a problem that worsened with Lebanon’s subsequent economic collapse, as newly needy people could be tempted to spy in exchange for Israeli money. —Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing needy

• the needy

Kids Definition

needy

adjective

ˈnēd-ē 

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