jealous

jealous — adjective

1. feeling upset or angry because the person you love appears to prefer spending ti

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

feeling upset or angry because the person you love appears to prefer spending time with someone else in a romantic way

Example

Kian felt jealous when he saw his girlfriend laughing with a handsome stranger.

jealous + when-clause describing romantic context

Eleni's jealous husband checked her phone messages every night without her knowledge.

collocation: jealous husband

Common collocations
  • jealous husband
  • jealous wife
  • jealous boyfriend
  • jealous girlfriend
  • jealous partner
  • jealous lover
  • jealous rage
Synonyms
  • possessive

    focuses on the desire to control a partner's attention, not the emotional reaction itself

  • suspicious

    highlights mistrust rather than the upset feeling; can be less intense

Antonyms
  • trusting

    implies confidence in a partner's loyalty

  • secure

    suggests no fear of losing the relationship

Grammar Patterns

jealous + of + [person]

be/feel/become + jealous

Usage Note

Frequently restricted to romantic or sexual relationship contexts. The person who attracts your partner's interest is the object of 'of'.

Common Mistakes

My boss is jealous of my promotion' (when meaning he envies your success).
My boyfriend is jealous of my new male colleague
romantic jealousy targets a person your partner shows interest in, not an achievement.

2. the feeling of unhappiness or anger that comes when you see another person enjoy

2.adjectiveA2
Definition

the feeling of unhappiness or anger that comes when you see another person enjoying something you strongly want for yourself — such as wealth, talent, or success

Example

Ayana was secretly jealous of her sister's new car and stylish apartment.

jealous + of + [possession]

Caleb could not help feeling jealous when his friend got the promotion he wanted.

Common collocations
  • jealous of someone's success
  • jealous of someone's wealth
  • jealous of someone's talent
  • jealous of someone's looks
  • jealous of attention
  • jealous of someone's good fortune
Synonyms
  • envious

    softer and more neutral than jealous; can even carry admiration

  • covetous

    stronger desire to possess something; more formal and less common in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • content

    satisfied with what one has; feels no desire for others' advantages

  • generous

    happy for others' success rather than resentful

Grammar Patterns

jealous + of + [someone's possession/achievement/quality]

feel/become/get + jealous

Usage Note

This sense covers envy of any advantage — wealth, appearance, talent, popularity, opportunities. Unlike sense 1, it does not involve romantic relationships. The object of 'of' is the thing or advantage the other person has.

Common Mistakes

She was jealous of her boyfriend's new female friend' (fear of romantic competition).
She was jealous of her friend's designer handbag
sense 2 is about wanting what others have, not about relationship fears.

3. wanting very carefully to keep something that belongs to you and not share it wi

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

wanting very carefully to keep something that belongs to you and not share it with anyone else, because it feels important to who you are

Example

The librarian felt jealous of every book on her shelves and refused to lend them.

jealous + of + [concrete possession]

Evelyn is jealous of her privacy and rarely shares personal details online.

jealous + of + [abstract noun: privacy]

Common collocations
  • jealous of one's privacy
  • jealous of one's independence
  • jealous of one's reputation
  • jealous of one's freedom
  • jealous of one's possessions
Synonyms
  • protective

    broader term covering both emotional and physical guarding; less intense than jealous

  • possessive

    overlaps with sense 3 but often implies controlling behaviour toward people, not things

Antonyms
  • careless

    does not guard or protect what one has

  • indifferent

    unconcerned about losing or sharing possessions

Grammar Patterns

jealous + of + [abstract noun]

jealous + of + [personal possession]

Usage Note

Unlike senses 1 and 2, this sense expresses no anger or envy toward another person — it is about guarding what is yours. Commonly appears with abstract objects such as privacy, independence, or reputation.

Common Mistakes

He is jealous of the new employee's skills' (when meaning he envies them).
He is jealous of his reputation as a fair manager
sense 3 means protective, not resentful or envious.

Word family

  • jealousy
    nounB1
  • jealously
    adverbB2
  • jealousness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

Jealous and envious are close but differ in emotional weight. Jealous suggests resentment or anger toward someone who has something you lack, and often implies you feel the other person does not deserve it. Envious is softer — you admire what someone has and wish you had it too, but without the hostility. Covetous is the strongest and most formal; it describes a strong, often greedy desire to possess something that belongs to someone else. For example: 'Ryo was jealous of his classmate's summer trip' (resentful). 'Ryo was envious of his classmate's summer trip' (admiring). 'He cast a covetous eye on his neighbour's sports car' (intense desire to possess).

jealous ↗envious ↗covetous

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • feel jealous
  • make someone jealous
  • become jealous
  • turn jealous
  • a jealous streak

Prepositions

Etymology

Greek (zēlos)Latin (zelosus)Old French (gelos)Middle English (jelous)English (jealous)

Jealous comes from Old French gelos, meaning 'zealous' or 'possessive'. That word traces back to Latin zelosus, which shares a root with 'zeal' — originally suggesting passionate dedication. Over time the meaning narrowed from eager devotion to the specific, troubled feeling of fearing a rival, particularly in love.