50 Metaphors for Jealousy With Meanings & Sentences
Metaphors for Jealousy
1. Green-eyed monster
Meaning: Refers to jealousy as a creature with green eyes, symbolizing envy and possessiveness.
In a Sentence: When Sally saw her friend get a new bike, the green-eyed monster of jealousy reared its head.
Other Ways to Say: Envious creature, Covetous creature.
2. Burning with envy
Meaning: Describes the intense feeling of jealousy, likening it to a burning sensation.
In a Sentence: Sarah felt like her heart was burning with envy when she saw her classmate win the spelling bee.
Other Ways to Say: Consumed by envy, Aflame with jealousy.
3. A snake in the grass
Meaning: Jealousy hides beneath a friendly surface, just like a hidden snake.
In a Sentence: His jealousy was like a snake in the grass, waiting for a chance to strike.
Other Ways to Say: Hidden danger, Secret envy.
4. A storm brewing inside
Meaning: Suggests that jealousy creates internal emotional turmoil.
In a Sentence: I could tell by her silence that there was a storm of jealousy brewing inside her.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional storm, Inner turbulence.
5. Poison in the heart
Meaning: Jealousy slowly damages the heart like a toxic substance.
In a Sentence: His heart was filled with the poison of jealousy.
Other Ways to Say: Toxic emotion, Emotional venom.
6. A shadow that follows
Meaning: Jealousy is ever-present and hard to escape, like a shadow.
In a Sentence: No matter how successful she became, jealousy followed her like a shadow.
Other Ways to Say: Lingering envy, Constant presence.
7. A wildfire of envy
Meaning: Jealousy that spreads quickly and destructively like a wildfire.
In a Sentence: Once the rumor spread, a wildfire of jealousy consumed the group.
Other Ways to Say: Spreading envy, Raging jealousy.
8. A chain that binds
Meaning: Jealousy holds people back emotionally, like chains.
In a Sentence: His jealousy acted as a chain, stopping him from celebrating others’ success.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional restraint, Jealousy trap.
9. A green fog
Meaning: Jealousy clouds judgment and perception, like a fog.
In a Sentence: Her mind was clouded by a green fog of jealousy.
Other Ways to Say: Clouded envy, Mental haze.
10. Acid in the soul
Meaning: Jealousy eats away at a person internally, like acid.
In a Sentence: Over time, jealousy became like acid in his soul, corroding his happiness.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional erosion, Soul-corroding envy.
11. A beast within
Meaning: Jealousy acts like a wild animal that lives inside a person.
In a Sentence: The beast within him roared whenever he saw someone doing better.
Other Ways to Say: Inner demon, Envy creature.
12. Green fire
Meaning: A metaphor for passionate and burning jealousy.
In a Sentence: Her green fire of jealousy was impossible to hide.
Other Ways to Say: Envious flames, Jealous heat.
13. A ticking bomb
Meaning: Jealousy that builds up until it explodes.
In a Sentence: His jealousy was like a ticking bomb, waiting to go off.
Other Ways to Say: Explosive envy, Emotional countdown.
14. A storm cloud
Meaning: Jealousy hangs over a person like a dark cloud.
In a Sentence: Jealousy loomed over her like a storm cloud, darkening her mood.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional storm, Dark presence.
15. A heavy backpack
Meaning: Jealousy is like a burden someone carries.
In a Sentence: Carrying jealousy was like lugging around a heavy backpack.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional baggage, Weight of envy.
16. A ghost that haunts
Meaning: Jealousy stays in your mind, like a ghost.
In a Sentence: Jealousy haunted him like a ghost from the past.
Other Ways to Say: Lingering envy, Emotional haunting.
17. A green curtain
Meaning: Jealousy hides the truth or clouds perception.
In a Sentence: A green curtain of jealousy made her misjudge the situation.
Other Ways to Say: Envy screen, False perception.
18. A mirror that distorts
Meaning: Jealousy makes people see reality in a twisted way.
In a Sentence: Jealousy acted like a mirror that distorted her view of others.
Other Ways to Say: Warped reflection, Twisted lens.
19. A parasite
Meaning: Jealousy feeds off a person, draining their energy.
In a Sentence: His jealousy was like a parasite, feeding on his happiness.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional leech, Energy drain.
20. A tightening knot
Meaning: Jealousy creates anxiety and emotional tension.
In a Sentence: She felt a knot of jealousy tightening in her stomach.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional tension, Envy twist.
21. Jealousy is a festering wound
Meaning: Jealousy that isn’t addressed continues to grow and cause emotional harm.
In a Sentence: His unspoken resentment became a festering wound of jealousy over time.
Other Ways to Say: Lingering bitterness, Emotional infection.
22. Jealousy is a prison
Meaning: It traps a person in negative thoughts and emotions.
In a Sentence: Her jealousy became a prison, locking her away from peace and joy.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional captivity, Mental cage.
23. Jealousy is a wildfire
Meaning: It spreads quickly and uncontrollably if not contained.
In a Sentence: A single moment of envy sparked a wildfire of jealousy between the siblings.
Other Ways to Say: Spreading envy, Blazing resentment.
24. Jealousy is a shadow
Meaning: It follows someone everywhere, quietly affecting their actions.
In a Sentence: No matter how successful he became, the shadow of jealousy lingered.
Other Ways to Say: Lingering presence, Constant envy.
25. Jealousy is a storm cloud
Meaning: It looms over a person’s mood, ready to rain negativity.
In a Sentence: Her mood was darkened by the storm cloud of jealousy.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional gloom, Threatening envy.
26. Jealousy is a broken mirror
Meaning: It distorts reality and self-perception.
In a Sentence: Looking through jealousy is like viewing life through a broken mirror.
Other Ways to Say: Skewed perception, Twisted outlook.
27. Jealousy is a bitter pill
Meaning: It’s a hard and unpleasant emotion to swallow.
In a Sentence: Accepting her friend’s success was a bitter pill of jealousy.
Other Ways to Say: Harsh emotion, Tough realization.
28. Jealousy is a choking vine
Meaning: It slowly restricts growth and happiness.
In a Sentence: His jealousy became a choking vine around their relationship.
Other Ways to Say: Constricting envy, Emotional suffocation.
29. Jealousy is a thief in the night
Meaning: It sneaks in and steals peace and happiness.
In a Sentence: Like a thief in the night, jealousy robbed her of joy.
Other Ways to Say: Silent destroyer, Emotional bandit.
30. Jealousy is a ticking bomb
Meaning: It builds up pressure and can explode at any moment.
In a Sentence: His jealousy was a ticking bomb that no one saw coming.
Other Ways to Say: Hidden anger, Emotional time bomb.
31. Jealousy is poison ivy
Meaning: It irritates and spreads the more you touch it.
In a Sentence: Her jealousy, like poison ivy, spread with every comparison she made.
Other Ways to Say: Irritating emotion, Spreading resentment.
32. Jealousy is a black hole
Meaning: It consumes all light and happiness around it.
In a Sentence: His jealousy turned into a black hole that pulled everyone into its negativity.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional void, All-consuming envy.
33. Jealousy is a crack in the wall
Meaning: A small jealousy can grow and break trust.
In a Sentence: That one moment of jealousy was the crack in the wall of their friendship.
Other Ways to Say: Hidden flaw, Small betrayal.
34. Jealousy is a snake in the grass
Meaning: It hides until it strikes unexpectedly.
In a Sentence: Jealousy is like a snake in the grass, waiting to poison relationships.
Other Ways to Say: Hidden danger, Sneaky envy.
35. Jealousy is a parasite
Meaning: It feeds off your happiness and weakens your spirit.
In a Sentence: Jealousy was the parasite that drained all her joy.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional leech, Draining envy.
36. Jealousy is a fog
Meaning: It clouds your judgment and perception.
In a Sentence: Through the fog of jealousy, he couldn’t see his own accomplishments.
Other Ways to Say: Mental haze, Obscured thinking.
37. Jealousy is a locked door
Meaning: It blocks emotional connection and understanding.
In a Sentence: Their conversation hit a locked door of jealousy.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional barrier, Unopened truth.
38. Jealousy is a weight
Meaning: It’s a burden that drags a person down.
In a Sentence: Carrying jealousy was like dragging a weight through life.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional burden, Heavy feeling.
39. Jealousy is a flame that consumes
Meaning: It can grow and destroy from the inside out.
In a Sentence: The flame of jealousy consumed his peace of mind.
Other Ways to Say: Burning envy, Inner fire.
40. Jealousy is a bitter root
Meaning: It lies deep and produces unpleasant outcomes.
In a Sentence: Her jealousy had taken root like a bitter root in her heart.
Other Ways to Say: Deep-seated envy, Emotional foundation.
41. Jealousy is a tightrope
Meaning: It’s a difficult emotion to balance without falling.
In a Sentence: Walking the tightrope of jealousy, she struggled to remain kind.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional balancing act, Risky feeling.
42. Jealousy is an echo
Meaning: It repeats in the mind long after the trigger is gone.
In a Sentence: Even after the conversation ended, the echo of jealousy lingered.
Other Ways to Say: Lingering thought, Emotional residue.
43. Jealousy is a venom
Meaning: It’s toxic and can infect relationships.
In a Sentence: His words, laced with the venom of jealousy, hurt more than intended.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional toxin, Poisonous envy.
44. Jealousy is a wall
Meaning: It stands between people and divides them.
In a Sentence: A wall of jealousy separated the once-close friends.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional division, Invisible barrier.
45. Jealousy is a splinter
Meaning: A small thing that causes constant pain.
In a Sentence: Her jealousy was like a splinter under the skin, always irritating.
Other Ways to Say: Nagging emotion, Constant discomfort.
46. Jealousy is a hungry ghost
Meaning: It’s never satisfied and always craves more.
In a Sentence: No matter what she achieved, the hungry ghost of jealousy haunted her.
Other Ways to Say: Insatiable envy, Restless spirit.
47. Jealousy is a crackling fire
Meaning: It makes noise and draws attention to itself.
In a Sentence: His jealousy crackled like fire, impossible to ignore.
Other Ways to Say: Loud envy, Attention-seeking emotion.
48. Jealousy is a storm brewing
Meaning: It builds quietly until it erupts.
In a Sentence: There was a storm of jealousy brewing beneath his calm surface.
Other Ways to Say: Building resentment, Emotional eruption.
49. Jealousy is a mirror of insecurity
Meaning: It reflects one’s own fears and self-doubt.
In a Sentence: Her jealousy was just a mirror reflecting her own insecurities.
Other Ways to Say: Inner fear, Self-doubt projection.
50. Jealousy is a thief of joy
Meaning: It steals happiness from the present moment.
In a Sentence: Comparing herself to others, she let jealousy become a thief of joy.
Other Ways to Say: Joy stealer, Happiness robber.
