50 Idioms for Greed With Meanings & Sentences
Idioms for Greed
1. Money doesn’t grow on trees
Meaning: Wealth is limited and should not be wasted.
In a Sentence: Stop spending so carelessly—money doesn’t grow on trees!
Other Ways to Say: Be frugal, limit spending.
2. Have your cake and eat it too
Meaning: To want to have everything, even if it’s contradictory or impossible.
In a Sentence: Tim wants to stay up late playing video games but still be well-rested for school – he wants to have his cake and eat it too!
Other Ways to Say: Want it all, want your cake and eat it too.
3. Grab everything that isn’t nailed down
Meaning: To take everything possible, especially greedily.
In a Sentence: At the sale, shoppers were grabbing everything that wasn’t nailed down.
Other Ways to Say: Snatch it all, hoard excessively.
4. Greed is a bottomless pit
Meaning: The desire for more is insatiable and endless.
In a Sentence: Tom’s greed seems like a bottomless pit; he’s always wanting more.
Other Ways to Say: Insatiable desire, endless greed.
5. All for the taking
Meaning: Something that can be taken or claimed by someone greedy.
In a Sentence: He saw the unclaimed land as all for the taking.
Other Ways to Say: Up for grabs, there for the taking.
6. A dog in the manger
Meaning: Someone who keeps something they don’t need just so others can’t have it.
In a Sentence: She doesn’t like the toy but won’t let anyone else play with it – she’s being a dog in the manger.
Other Ways to Say: Selfish, possessive.
7. The world is not enough
Meaning: Nothing satisfies a greedy person.
In a Sentence: No matter how much money he makes, it seems the world is not enough for him.
Other Ways to Say: Never satisfied, wants it all.
8. Penny wise, pound foolish
Meaning: Careful with small amounts but careless with large amounts due to greed.
In a Sentence: He skips lunch to save money but wastes thousands gambling—penny wise, pound foolish.
Other Ways to Say: Shortsighted, false economy.
9. Get rich quick
Meaning: A greedy desire to make fast money.
In a Sentence: He fell for a scam because he was chasing a get-rich-quick scheme.
Other Ways to Say: Quick money, fast cash plan.
10. Eat like a horse
Meaning: To eat excessively and greedily.
In a Sentence: After the game, he ate like a horse.
Other Ways to Say: Stuff oneself, overeat.
11. Hoard like a dragon
Meaning: To greedily accumulate and never share.
In a Sentence: He hoards his wealth like a dragon.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy collector, stashes everything.
12. Too big for your boots
Meaning: Acting arrogantly or greedily beyond your role.
In a Sentence: Since he got promoted, he’s been too big for his boots.
Other Ways to Say: Overconfident, greedy for power.
13. Line one’s pockets
Meaning: To make money dishonestly or greedily.
In a Sentence: The official was caught lining his pockets with bribes.
Other Ways to Say: Take kickbacks, pocket gains.
14. Money talks
Meaning: Greed and wealth often influence people or decisions.
In a Sentence: They didn’t want to listen until the rich donor showed up—money talks.
Other Ways to Say: Influence of wealth, cash is power.
15. A greedy gut
Meaning: A person who consumes excessively.
In a Sentence: Don’t be such a greedy gut—leave some pizza for others!
Other Ways to Say: Glutton, overindulger.
16. Grasping at straws
Meaning: Acting desperately out of greed or fear.
In a Sentence: He invested in the scheme, grasping at straws to make money.
Other Ways to Say: Desperation move, clutching greedily.
17. Money-hungry
Meaning: Obsessed with acquiring wealth.
In a Sentence: She’s talented but too money-hungry to enjoy her job.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy, obsessed with riches.
18. Fat cat
Meaning: A wealthy and greedy person, often in power.
In a Sentence: The fat cats in the corporation keep getting bonuses while workers suffer.
Other Ways to Say: Rich elite, corporate boss.
19. Stuffed to the gills
Meaning: Overfilled, often due to greed.
In a Sentence: He was stuffed to the gills after eating five burgers.
Other Ways to Say: Overfull, overindulged.
20. Gimme, gimme
Meaning: A childish, greedy attitude.
In a Sentence: His gimme, gimme behavior was embarrassing.
Other Ways to Say: Self-centered, grabby.
21. A glutton for punishment
Meaning: Someone who takes on more than necessary, often out of ambition or greed.
In a Sentence: He keeps volunteering for extra work—he’s a glutton for punishment.
Other Ways to Say: Overachiever, always wants more.
22. Eat someone out of house and home
Meaning: Consume someone’s resources due to greed.
In a Sentence: The guests nearly ate them out of house and home.
Other Ways to Say: Overuse, deplete.
23. Cup runneth over
Meaning: Having more than needed—can imply greedy indulgence.
In a Sentence: Her jewelry collection runneth over with diamonds.
Other Ways to Say: Overflowing, overabundant.
24. Blood from a stone
Meaning: Trying to get more from someone who has nothing left.
In a Sentence: Asking her for money now is like trying to get blood from a stone.
Other Ways to Say: Impossible demand, pointless greed.
25. Pig out
Meaning: To eat excessively.
In a Sentence: We totally pigged out at the buffet.
Other Ways to Say: Gorge, devour.
26. A wolf in sheep’s clothing
Meaning: Someone who hides malicious intent under a kind or innocent appearance.
In a Sentence: He donated to charity just for publicity—he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Other Ways to Say: Deceptive person, hidden greed.
27. Take the lion’s share
Meaning: To take the largest or most significant portion.
In a Sentence: She always takes the lion’s share of the profits.
Other Ways to Say: Take the most, grab the bulk.
28. Cash cow
Meaning: Something that consistently generates a lot of money.
In a Sentence: That app turned into a real cash cow for the developer.
Other Ways to Say: Profit-maker, revenue stream.
29. All for oneself
Meaning: Not sharing with others; acting selfishly.
In a Sentence: He kept the snacks all for himself without offering anyone.
Other Ways to Say: Self-centered, not generous.
30. Cry over spilled milk (greed version)
Meaning: To regret something lost due to greedy behavior.
In a Sentence: He cried over spilled milk after losing money in a greedy gamble.
Other Ways to Say: Regretful greed, lamenting loss.
31. Eat like a king
Meaning: To indulge in luxury or excess.
In a Sentence: On payday, he eats like a king and forgets his budget.
Other Ways to Say: Indulge, feast greedily.
32. Fill your boots
Meaning: Take as much as you want, usually greedily.
In a Sentence: At the buffet, he was told to fill his boots.
Other Ways to Say: Help yourself, take plenty.
33. Take more than your fair share
Meaning: To take more than is right or needed.
In a Sentence: She always takes more than her fair share at work.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy behavior, overreaching.
34. Feeding frenzy
Meaning: Intense competition or greed for something desirable.
In a Sentence: There was a feeding frenzy over the discounted phones.
Other Ways to Say: Frenzied greed, aggressive competition.
35. Go for the jugular
Meaning: To attack or pursue something aggressively, often for gain.
In a Sentence: In the business deal, he went straight for the jugular.
Other Ways to Say: Ruthless pursuit, aggressive greed.
36. Like a dog with a bone
Meaning: Persistently holding onto something, often out of greed.
In a Sentence: He’s like a dog with a bone when it comes to money.
Other Ways to Say: Relentless, won’t let go.
37. Devil take the hindmost
Meaning: Focus only on oneself and not care about others.
In a Sentence: In that greedy environment, it was every man for himself—devil take the hindmost.
Other Ways to Say: Selfish mindset, every man for himself.
38. Money-grubber
Meaning: Someone obsessed with accumulating money.
In a Sentence: That businessman is a known money-grubber.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy person, gold-digger.
39. Not enough to go around
Meaning: A situation worsened by greedy people taking too much.
In a Sentence: There was not enough to go around because some people hoarded supplies.
Other Ways to Say: Scarcity due to greed, unfair distribution.
40. Grab everything that isn’t nailed down
Meaning: To take everything possible greedily.
In a Sentence: At the free giveaway, he grabbed everything that wasn’t nailed down.
Other Ways to Say: Take all, hoard.
41. Hoarder’s mindset
Meaning: A tendency to collect and keep more than needed.
In a Sentence: His greed gave him a hoarder’s mindset.
Other Ways to Say: Greedy thinking, stockpiling attitude.
42. Clutching at straws
Meaning: Desperately trying to gain or hold onto something, often due to greed.
In a Sentence: He was clutching at straws to hold his position of power.
Other Ways to Say: Desperate greed, grasping.
43. Gimme gimme attitude
Meaning: An excessively demanding or selfish mindset.
In a Sentence: Kids with a gimme gimme attitude are hard to handle.
Other Ways to Say: Spoiled, entitled behavior.
44. Can’t see past the dollar signs
Meaning: Letting greed cloud one’s judgment.
In a Sentence: He couldn’t see past the dollar signs when investing.
Other Ways to Say: Blinded by greed, money-focused.
45. Bite the hand that feeds you
Meaning: Act selfishly toward someone who has helped you.
In a Sentence: Don’t bite the hand that feeds you out of greed.
Other Ways to Say: Ingratitude, betrayal.
46. Keep up with the Joneses
Meaning: Compete for material things due to greed or envy.
In a Sentence: He bought a new car just to keep up with the Joneses.
Other Ways to Say: Status chasing, material competition.
47. Deep pockets
Meaning: Having lots of money, often tied to greed.
In a Sentence: With his deep pockets, he tried to buy everyone’s loyalty.
Other Ways to Say: Wealthy, big spender.
48. Get rich quick
Meaning: Wanting to become rich rapidly, often through greedy means.
In a Sentence: He fell for a scam because of his get-rich-quick mindset.
Other Ways to Say: Quick profit scheme, money rush.
49. Too big for your boots
Meaning: Acting arrogantly due to success or wealth.
In a Sentence: Ever since he got rich, he’s been too big for his boots.
Other Ways to Say: Arrogant, prideful greed.
50. All about the Benjamins
Meaning: Only caring about money.
In a Sentence: His every decision is all about the Benjamins.
Other Ways to Say: Money-driven, cash-focused.
