Covet - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT covet /ˈkʌvət/ /ˈkʌvɪt/ IPA guide

Other forms: coveted; covets; coveting

If you covet something, you eagerly desire something that someone else has. If it's 95 degrees out and humid, you may find yourself coveting your neighbor's air conditioner.

If the word covet sounds familiar, you're thinking of the Tenth Commandment: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's." Basically this means you should be happy with your electronic gadgets and not be jealous when a friend gets something better.

Definitions of covet

verb wish, long, or crave for (something, especially the property of another person) “She covets her sister's house” see moresee less types: drool, salivate be envious, desirous, eager for, or extremely happy about something type of: begrudge, envy be envious of; set one's heart on

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Copy citation DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘covet'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback Word Family

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