Envious and jealous overlap so much in everyday speech that most native speakers treat them as the same word, but there is a real distinction.
Envious describes wanting something that someone else has.
envious full definition →
Jealous describes fear of losing something you already have, often involving a third person, like in relationships.
jealous full definition →
| envious | jealous | |
|---|---|---|
| Involves | Wanting what someone else has | Fear of losing what you have |
| Typical situation | Someone else's success or possessions | Relationships, attention, loyalty |
| Simple test | "I'm envious of her house" means I want one too | "He's jealous of her new friend" means he fears losing her attention |
Envious wants what someone else has. Jealous fears losing what you already have. In casual speech people use jealous for both, but the difference is worth knowing.
Save both words to GoVocab and review them until they stick.
Download on the App Store