43 Idioms for Greed
Money and wanting more can bring out strong feelings in people. Sometimes we need special words to talk about when someone wants too much. That’s where idioms come in. Idioms are colorful phrases that help us describe greed in ways that are easy to understand and remember.
This article will explore idioms that describe greed and selfish behavior. These phrases can help you understand when someone is being too focused on money or possessions. You’ll also find a short activity to practice using these idioms in real situations.
Idioms for Greed
1. Money-hungry
Meaning: Always wanting more money.
Sentence Example: The money-hungry businessman never shared his profits with his workers. / She became money-hungry after winning the lottery and wanted even more.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy for cash / Always wanting money
2. Have your cake and eat it too
Meaning: Want everything without giving up anything.
Sentence Example: He wants to have his cake and eat it too by keeping all the toys but not sharing. / You can’t have your cake and eat it too – either save your allowance or spend it.
Other Ways to Say: Want it all / Be selfish
3. Eyes bigger than your stomach
Meaning: Want more than you can handle.
Sentence Example: His eyes were bigger than his stomach when he ordered five burgers. / Don’t let your eyes be bigger than your stomach at the buffet.
Other Ways to Say: Want too much / Overreach
4. Penny-pinching
Meaning: Being too careful with money, even when you shouldn’t be.
Sentence Example: His penny-pinching ways meant he never bought gifts for anyone. / Stop penny-pinching and buy some nice shoes.
Other Ways to Say: Being cheap / Stingy with money
5. Grab with both hands
Meaning: Take as much as possible quickly.
Sentence Example: When the candy was free, the kids grabbed with both hands. / He grabbed the opportunity with both hands to make more money.
Other Ways to Say: Take everything / Be grabby
6. All for yourself
Meaning: Keep everything without sharing.
Sentence Example: She kept all the cookies for herself and didn’t offer any. / Don’t keep all the fun games for yourself.
Other Ways to Say: Hog everything / Be selfish
7. Money talks
Meaning: Rich people get what they want.
Sentence Example: Money talks, so the wealthy family got the best seats. / In that fancy store, money talks louder than manners.
Other Ways to Say: Cash rules / Rich wins
8. Feather your own nest
Meaning: Take care of yourself first, often at others’ expense.
Sentence Example: The store manager was feathering his own nest by taking the best products home. / Instead of helping the team, he just feathered his own nest.
Other Ways to Say: Help yourself first / Be selfish
9. Tight-fisted
Meaning: Not willing to spend or share money.
Sentence Example: The tight-fisted uncle never gave birthday presents. / Don’t be so tight-fisted with your allowance.
Other Ways to Say: Stingy / Cheap
10. Gold-digger
Meaning: Someone who only cares about money in relationships.
Sentence Example: She’s such a gold-digger, only dating rich boys. / He called her a gold-digger because she always asked for expensive gifts.
Other Ways to Say: Money chaser / Fortune hunter
11. Bite the hand that feeds you
Meaning: Hurt someone who helps you, usually for selfish reasons.
Sentence Example: Don’t bite the hand that feeds you by being mean to your parents. / The employee bit the hand that fed him by stealing from his kind boss.
Other Ways to Say: Turn against helpers / Be ungrateful
12. Take more than your fair share
Meaning: Get more than what’s right or equal.
Sentence Example: He took more than his fair share of pizza at the party. / Don’t take more than your fair share of the class supplies.
Other Ways to Say: Hog everything / Be grabby
13. Money-grubbing
Meaning: Always trying to get money in any way possible.
Sentence Example: The money-grubbing landlord raised rent every month. / Stop being so money-grubbing and help your friends.
Other Ways to Say: Cash-grabbing / Money-chasing
14. Line your pockets
Meaning: Make money for yourself, often in a sneaky way.
Sentence Example: The corrupt politician lined his pockets with taxpayer money. / He lined his pockets by selling the team’s equipment.
Other Ways to Say: Fill your wallet / Make money
15. Keep up with the Joneses
Meaning: Try to have as much as your neighbors, often spending too much.
Sentence Example: They went broke trying to keep up with the Joneses. / Don’t worry about keeping up with the Joneses, be happy with what you have.
Other Ways to Say: Match the neighbors / Show off wealth
16. Sell your soul
Meaning: Do anything, even bad things, for money.
Sentence Example: He sold his soul to get that promotion. / Don’t sell your soul just to make a quick buck.
Other Ways to Say: Do anything for money / Lose your values
17. Milk it for all it’s worth
Meaning: Get as much benefit as possible from something.
Sentence Example: She milked her injury for all it’s worth to get attention. / He milked the situation for all it’s worth to make money.
Other Ways to Say: Use it up / Take advantage
18. Money is the root of all evil
Meaning: Loving money too much causes problems.
Sentence Example: Money is the root of all evil, as shown by their family fights over inheritance. / Remember that money is the root of all evil when you see greedy behavior.
Other Ways to Say: Money causes trouble / Greed is bad
19. Nickel and dime
Meaning: Charge small amounts for everything to make more money.
Sentence Example: That restaurant nickels and dimes you for every little extra. / Don’t nickel and dime your friends over small costs.
Other Ways to Say: Charge for everything / Be petty about money
20. Cash cow
Meaning: Something that makes a lot of money easily.
Sentence Example: That popular video game became their cash cow. / The greedy businessman treated his employees like a cash cow.
Other Ways to Say: Money maker / Profit source
21. Strike it rich
Meaning: Suddenly get a lot of money.
Sentence Example: He hoped to strike it rich with his new invention. / After she struck it rich, she forgot about her old friends.
Other Ways to Say: Get wealthy / Make it big
22. Money-mad
Meaning: Crazy about getting money.
Sentence Example: The money-mad collector bought every rare coin he saw. / Don’t become money-mad and forget about family.
Other Ways to Say: Money-crazy / Obsessed with cash
23. Pig in clover
Meaning: Very happy because you have lots of good things.
Sentence Example: After inheriting millions, he was like a pig in clover. / She’s a pig in clover since getting that high-paying job.
Other Ways to Say: Living well / Rolling in luxury
24. Money burns a hole in your pocket
Meaning: Can’t help spending money as soon as you get it.
Sentence Example: Money burns a hole in his pocket, so he’s always broke. / Don’t let money burn a hole in your pocket, save some.
Other Ways to Say: Spend quickly / Can’t save money
25. Golden handcuffs
Meaning: High pay that keeps you in a job you don’t like.
Sentence Example: The golden handcuffs kept him at the boring job. / She felt trapped by the golden handcuffs of her high salary.
Other Ways to Say: Money trap / Paid to stay
26. Money doesn’t grow on trees
Meaning: Money is not easy to get (often said to greedy people).
Sentence Example: Money doesn’t grow on trees, so stop asking for expensive toys. / Remember, money doesn’t grow on trees when you want to spend wildly.
Other Ways to Say: Money is limited / Cash is hard to get
27. Grease someone’s palm
Meaning: Pay someone money to get special treatment.
Sentence Example: He greased the waiter’s palm to get the best table. / Don’t grease someone’s palm to get ahead unfairly.
Other Ways to Say: Pay for favors / Bribe someone
28. Rolling in money
Meaning: Having lots and lots of money.
Sentence Example: After selling his company, he was rolling in money. / The greedy businessman was rolling in money but never shared.
Other Ways to Say: Swimming in cash / Very rich
29. Money to burn
Meaning: So much money you can waste it.
Sentence Example: The spoiled kid had money to burn and bought useless things. / Don’t act like you have money to burn when you need to save.
Other Ways to Say: Lots of cash / Money to waste
30. Cut corners
Meaning: Do things cheaply, often making them worse.
Sentence Example: The greedy builder cut corners and the house fell down. / Don’t cut corners on safety just to save money.
Other Ways to Say: Do things cheaply / Skimp on quality
31. In it for the money
Meaning: Only doing something to get paid.
Sentence Example: He’s not a real friend, he’s just in it for the money. / The corrupt lawyer was only in it for the money.
Other Ways to Say: Money motivated / Cash-focused
32. Money makes the world go round
Meaning: Money controls everything and everyone.
Sentence Example: Money makes the world go round, so the rich family got special treatment. / In that greedy town, money makes the world go round.
Other Ways to Say: Cash controls all / Money rules
33. Grab bag mentality
Meaning: Taking whatever you can get without thinking.
Sentence Example: The kids had a grab bag mentality at the free toy giveaway. / His grab bag mentality made him take more than he needed.
Other Ways to Say: Take everything / Greedy grabbing
34. Money-oriented
Meaning: Focused mainly on making money.
Sentence Example: She’s so money-oriented that she forgot about friendship. / The money-oriented company fired workers to save costs.
Other Ways to Say: Money-focused / Cash-centered
35. Bank on it
Meaning: Count on money or profit (often greedily).
Sentence Example: The greedy salesman banked on making huge profits. / Don’t bank on getting rich quickly from that scheme.
Other Ways to Say: Count on money / Expect profit
36. Fortune hunter
Meaning: Someone looking for rich people to marry or befriend.
Sentence Example: Everyone knew she was a fortune hunter looking for a wealthy husband. / The fortune hunter pretended to be nice to the rich old man.
Other Ways to Say: Gold-digger / Wealth seeker
37. Almighty dollar
Meaning: Money as the most important thing.
Sentence Example: He worships the almighty dollar more than family. / The almighty dollar controls his every decision.
Other Ways to Say: Money first / Cash is king
38. Fast buck
Meaning: Quick money, often gotten in a questionable way.
Sentence Example: He’s always looking to make a fast buck instead of working hard. / Don’t trust schemes that promise a fast buck.
Other Ways to Say: Quick money / Easy cash
39. Money-minded
Meaning: Always thinking about money and profit.
Sentence Example: The money-minded teenager only did chores for payment. / She’s become too money-minded since starting that job.
Other Ways to Say: Money-focused / Cash-thinking
40. Skin-flint
Meaning: Someone extremely cheap and unwilling to spend money.
Sentence Example: The old skin-flint never tipped the pizza delivery person. / Don’t be such a skin-flint, buy your mom a nice present.
Other Ways to Say: Cheapskate / Penny-pincher
41. Money first
Meaning: Putting money before everything else.
Sentence Example: For him, it’s always money first, family second. / The greedy boss believes in money first, workers last.
Other Ways to Say: Cash before all / Money priority
42. Grab while you can
Meaning: Take as much as possible while it’s available.
Sentence Example: His motto was grab while you can, leaving nothing for others. / The selfish guest decided to grab while you can at the buffet.
Other Ways to Say: Take what’s there / Get while possible
43. Money-seeking
Meaning: Always looking for ways to make or get money.
Sentence Example: Her money-seeking behavior made her lose friends. / The money-seeking businessman ignored his family.
Other Ways to Say: Cash-hunting / Profit-chasing
Exercise to Practice
- My neighbor is so _______ that he never tips the newspaper boy.
- She’s always trying to _______ by taking extra cookies from the jar.
- The greedy kid had _______ when he piled food on his plate.
- Don’t _______ just to get a better grade on your test.
- He’s _______ ever since he started his new business.
- The selfish girl tried to _______ at the birthday party.
- Stop being so _______ and share your toys with your sister.
- The corrupt politician was trying to _______ with taxpayer money.
- She has _______ and buys expensive things she doesn’t need.
- The _______ landlord raised everyone’s rent again.
- He’s _______ and only cares about making profits.
- Don’t _______ and forget about being honest.
- The spoiled rich kid was _______ after inheriting millions.
- She’s such a _______ that she only dates wealthy people.
- Remember that _______ when you see people fighting over money.
Answer Key
- tight-fisted
- grab with both hands
- eyes bigger than his stomach
- grease someone’s palm
- money-minded
- take more than her fair share
- penny-pinching
- line his pockets
- money to burn
- money-hungry
- in it for the money
- sell your soul
- rolling in money
- gold-digger
- money is the root of all evil
Conclusion
Understanding idioms about greed helps us recognize when someone is being too focused on money or possessions. These phrases can help you describe selfish behavior and remind us to be generous and fair with others.
Try to remember these idioms when you see greedy behavior around you. But more importantly, use them as reminders to share, be generous, and remember that there are more important things in life than money and possessions.
