Synonym Chooser

How does the verb covet differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of covet are crave, desire, want, and wish. While all these words mean "to have a longing for," covet implies strong envious desire.

covets his rise to fame

When is crave a more appropriate choice than covet?

The synonyms crave and covet are sometimes interchangeable, but crave stresses the force of physical appetite or emotional need.

craves sweets

When is it sensible to use desire instead of covet?

The words desire and covet are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, desire stresses the strength of feeling and often implies strong intention or aim.

desires to start a new life

When might want be a better fit than covet?

While the synonyms want and covet are close in meaning, want specifically suggests a felt need or lack.

wants to have a family

When could wish be used to replace covet?

In some situations, the words wish and covet are roughly equivalent. However, wish sometimes implies a general or transient longing especially for the unattainable.

wishes for permanent world peace

Examples of covet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But voters without college degrees are particularly coveted as one of the anchors of today's politics. Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 23 Oct. 2024 The slots were highly coveted by the major airlines. Edward Russell, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2024 As an unrestricted free agent, the 6-2, 224-pound Puerto Rican will be coveted by every club in the majors, though only a handful can afford him. Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024 Since launching in late July, however, the new format has sparked an 82% increase among viewers between 25 and 54 — the demographic most coveted by advertisers in news programs — when compared to its performance in June. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for covet 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'covet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near covet

Cite this Entry

“Covet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covet. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on covet

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