jealous
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.feeling unhappy or angry because you want something that someone else has, like their success or possessions.
adj.feeling or showing resentment or envy of someone else's possessions, qualities, or achievements.
Simple“He was jealous of his friend's new job and higher salary.”
In context“The younger sibling was often jealous of the attention and praise lavished upon the eldest for her academic achievements.”
PitfallShe was jealous for her sister's new car. She was jealous of her sister's new car.Use the preposition 'of' after jealous when naming the person or thing you envy.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
adj.feeling upset or worried because you think a person you love likes someone else.
adj.feeling or showing suspicion of a partner's or lover's fidelity; troubled by the fear of being replaced.
Simple“Her boyfriend gets jealous whenever she talks to other men at parties.”
In context“The protagonist's jealous nature eventually eroded the trust in the relationship, leading to a bitter and inevitable separation.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
adj.very careful to protect something you have because you value it highly.
adj.vigilant or fiercely protective of one's rights, possessions, or reputation.
Simple“The small nation was jealous of its independence and refused to join the union.”
In context“The guild was jealous of its ancient privileges, resisting any legislative attempt to modernise the industry's traditional practices.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'of'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to bother or attack someone because you are jealous of them.
v.to harass, target, or physically attack an individual due to feelings of jealousy or envy.
Simple“The group started jealousying him just because he won the prize.”
In context“In certain online communities, users may jealous those who achieve sudden viral fame through coordinated harassment campaigns.”
Teacher's tipThis verb use is very rare and restricted to specific slang registers; learners should stick to 'make someone jealous' or 'act out of jealousy' in standard contexts.
First attested in 1382. From Middle English jelous, gelous, gelus, from Old French jalous, from Late Latin zelosus, from Ancient Greek ζῆλος (zêlos, “zeal, jealousy”). Doublet of zealous.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.