50 Idioms for Greedy Person (Meanings)

Idioms are fun phrases where the words together mean something entirely different from what the words say by themselves. People use them in daily chats and stories to make conversations much more colorful and exciting. In this lesson, you will learn fifty handy idioms that relate to describing a greedy person or someone who always wants more.

In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean taking too much and never being satisfied. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.

Idioms for Greedy Person

1. Pig out

Definition: To eat a very large amount of food all at once.

Used in a Sentence: My brother likes to pig out on pizza whenever we watch a movie. / Do not pig out on candy before dinner time or you will spoil your appetite.

Similar Expressions: Eat greedily / Gorge oneself

2. Fish in troubled waters

Definition: To try to gain an advantage from a chaotic situation.

Used in a Sentence: He tried to fish in troubled waters by taking extra toys while everyone was arguing. / The sneaky merchant tried to fish in troubled waters during the market confusion.

Similar Expressions: Exploit chaos / Profit from mess

3. Wolf down

Definition: To swallow food very quickly without chewing properly because of hunger.

Used in a Sentence: He had to wolf down his sandwich so he would not be late for soccer practice. / The hungry puppy tried to wolf down his food in three seconds.

Similar Expressions: Gobble up / Eat hastily

4. Grasping at straws

Definition: Desperately trying to get any little bit of help or advantage when failing.

Used in a Sentence: When he lost the game, he started grasping at straws to blame someone else. / She was grasping at straws trying to find extra bonus points.

Similar Expressions: Desperate grab / Clinging wildly

5. Catch-as-catch-can

Definition: Getting whatever you can take by any method available.

Used in a Sentence: The free toy table turned into a catch-as-catch-can scramble for prizes. / Sharing snacks became a catch-as-catch-can rush among the kids.

Similar Expressions: Grab what you can / Scramble for items

6. Have your cake and eat it too

Definition: Wanting to keep something while also using or consuming it selfishly.

Used in a Sentence: You cannot have your cake and eat it too by spending money and keeping it in the bank. / He wanted to keep all the trading cards and trade them away, trying to have his cake and eat it too.

Similar Expressions: Wanting everything / Double dipping

7. Land grab

Definition: A greedy attempt to take control of as much property or territory as possible.

Used in a Sentence: The game of monopoly turned into a fierce land grab among players. / Building forts in the yard became a mini land grab for space.

Similar Expressions: Territory rush / Property taking

8. All-consuming

Definition: An intense desire or greed that takes over all your thoughts.

Used in a Sentence: His desire to win every video game prize became all-consuming. / Collecting shiny marbles turned into an all-consuming hobby.

Similar Expressions: Overwhelming greed / Obsessive desire

9. As greedy as a pig

Definition: Describing someone who takes much more than their fair share.

Used in a Sentence: My cousin acted as greedy as a pig when he took all the chocolate bars. / Do not be as greedy as a pig at the community snack table.

Similar Expressions: Very selfish / Extremely greedy

10. Eyes bigger than your stomach

Definition: Taking more food on your plate than you could ever possibly eat.

Used in a Sentence: You loaded twenty cookies because your eyes were bigger than your stomach. / His eyes were bigger than his stomach at the buffet table.

Similar Expressions: Overestimating hunger / Taking too much food

11. Grab bag

Definition: A collection of random items gathered hastily without order.

Used in a Sentence: The prize box looked like a random grab bag of cheap toys. / He took everything from the grab bag of leftover supplies.

Similar Expressions: Mixed collection / Random assortment

12. Take the lion’s share

Definition: To take the largest and best portion of something for yourself.

Used in a Sentence: My older brother took the lion’s share of the birthday cake. / The team captain took the lion’s share of the glory after the win.

Similar Expressions: Take the biggest part / Hog the best

13. Reach for the moon

Definition: Desiring something impossible or demanding way too much.

Used in a Sentence: Asking for a pony for your birthday is like reaching for the moon. / He always reaches for the moon when negotiating game rules.

Similar Expressions: Wanting too much / Demanding extremes

14. Keep all for oneself

Definition: Refusing to share any items or treats with others.

Used in a Sentence: It is unkind to keep all for oneself when your friends want to play. / He tried to keep all for oneself the bag of shiny marbles.

Similar Expressions: Hoard everything / Refuse sharing

15. Pad your pockets

Definition: To make money or collect items dishonestly or selfishly.

Used in a Sentence: The dishonest helper tried to pad his pockets with extra tokens. / We watched him try to pad his pockets during the game pieces distribution.

Similar Expressions: Gather selfishly / Accumulate unfairly

16. Feather your nest

Definition: To look after your own wealth and comfort selfishly at the expense of others.

Used in a Sentence: He only cared about saving his allowance to feather his nest. / The greedy character in the story tried to feather his nest with gold.

Similar Expressions: Enrich oneself / Look out for number one

17. Live high on the hog

Definition: To live in luxurious and expensive comfort, often selfishly.

Used in a Sentence: After winning the prize money, he lived high on the hog for a week. / The wealthy visitor lived high on the hog while staying in town.

Similar Expressions: Live luxuriously / Spend lavishly

18. Tightwad

Definition: A very stingy person who hates spending money or sharing.

Used in a Sentence: My uncle acts like a tightwad when it is time to buy ice cream. / Do not be a tightwad and share your crayons with the class.

Similar Expressions: Stingy person / Miserly individual

19. Penny pincher

Definition: Someone who is overly careful with money and refuses to share.

Used in a Sentence: Being a penny pincher means you save every coin and never treat friends. / My neighbor is a total penny pincher about sharing garden tools.

Similar Expressions: Miser / Frugal person

20. Skin a flea for its hide

Definition: Being extremely greedy and miserly over tiny amounts of money.

Used in a Sentence: He would try to skin a flea for its hide just to save a penny. / The store owner argued over one cent like he wanted to skin a flea for its hide.

Similar Expressions: Extremely stingy / Excessively cheap

21. Grasping at shadows

Definition: Trying greedily to catch things that are fake or unattainable.

Used in a Sentence: Chasing after fake lottery tickets is just grasping at shadows. / He spent his savings grasping at shadows of quick wealth.

Similar Expressions: Chasing illusions / Futile pursuit

22. All take and no give

Definition: A selfish person who always accepts help or gifts but never shares back.

Used in a Sentence: You cannot be all take and no give when playing trading card games. / His friendship felt like all take and no give.

Similar Expressions: Completely selfish / One-sided taker

23. Out for number one

Definition: Looking after only your own interests and ignoring everyone else.

Used in a Sentence: He is always out for number one when choosing the best playground equipment. / A selfish teammate is usually just out for number one.

Similar Expressions: Self-centered / Selfish person

24. Grabby hands

Definition: Constantly reaching out to take items that belong to other people.

Used in a Sentence: The toddler had grabby hands whenever someone held a toy. / Keep your grabby hands away from my comic book collection.

Similar Expressions: Taking habit / Selfish grabbing

25. Hoard like a squirrel

Definition: Collecting and hiding away food or objects excessively.

Used in a Sentence: He liked to hoard like a squirrel every piece of candy he received. / Stop trying to hoard like a squirrel all the art supplies in your desk.

Similar Expressions: Stockpile items / Collect excessively

26. Bottomless pit

Definition: Someone with an appetite or desire for things that can never be filled.

Used in a Sentence: My growing teenager brother is like a bottomless pit at dinner time. / Her appetite for buying new toys is a bottomless pit.

Similar Expressions: Never satisfied / Endless hunger

27. Ravenous appetite

Definition: A fierce and greedy hunger for food or material things.

Used in a Sentence: The hiking kids had a ravenous appetite after walking five miles. / He had a ravenous appetite for collecting comic books.

Similar Expressions: Fierce hunger / Insatiable desire

28. Insatiable hunger

Definition: A desire for something that can never be completely satisfied.

Used in a Sentence: Reading adventure books fed her insatiable hunger for stories. / The villain had an insatiable hunger for gold.

Similar Expressions: Unquenchable thirst / Endless craving

29. Greedy guts

Definition: A playful term for someone who eats too much or takes all the food.

Used in a Sentence: Stop acting like a greedy guts and leave some brownies for us. / He earned the nickname greedy guts after finishing the whole pie.

Similar Expressions: Glutton / Piggy eater

30. Eyeing the prize

Definition: Looking covetously at something you want to take for yourself.

Used in a Sentence: He sat quietly eyeing the prize trophy on the shelf. / The cat sat by the table eyeing the prize slice of chicken.

Similar Expressions: Coveting / Staring greedily

31. Covetous gaze

Definition: Looking at someone else’s possessions with a strong desire to own them.

Used in a Sentence: He cast a covetous gaze toward my new bicycle. / Her covetous gaze lingered on my shiny gold medal.

Similar Expressions: Envious look / Greedy stare

32. Keep it all

Definition: The act of refusing to distribute items among a group.

Used in a Sentence: It is unfair to keep it all when the teacher gives out stickers. / He wanted to keep it all instead of sharing puzzle pieces.

Similar Expressions: Hoard all / Refuse sharing

33. Hog the spotlight

Definition: Selfishly taking all the attention and not letting others share.

Used in a Sentence: During the group play, he tried to hog the spotlight. / Please share the conversation and do not hog the spotlight.

Similar Expressions: Steal attention / Dominate selfishly

34. Hog the conversation

Definition: Talking constantly without letting anyone else speak.

Used in a Sentence: Aunt Sarah tends to hog the conversation at dinner parties. / Try not to hog the conversation during the club meeting.

Similar Expressions: Dominate talking / Monopolize speech

35. Monopolize the toys

Definition: Controlling and keeping all play items so nobody else can use them.

Used in a Sentence: He tried to monopolize the toys in the corner of the room. / Sharing means you do not monopolize the toys.

Similar Expressions: Control playthings / Keep all games

36. Take everything in sight

Definition: Greedily gathering every available item nearby.

Used in a Sentence: The toddler tried to take everything in sight at the toy store. / During the giveaway, he attempted to take everything in sight.

Similar Expressions: Grab all / Take indiscriminately

37. Grab and run

Definition: Taking something selfishly and escaping quickly so you do not have to share.

Used in a Sentence: He pulled a grab and run stunt with the last chocolate cookie. / That quick grab and run behavior is not nice.

Similar Expressions: Snatch and dash / Quick grab

38. Selfish streak

Definition: A personality trait where someone acts greedy and uncharitable.

Used in a Sentence: He showed a selfish streak when he hid his candy bars. / Overcoming a selfish streak helps you make more friends.

Similar Expressions: Greedy tendency / Self-centered habit

39. Gimme gimme attitude

Definition: Constantly demanding gifts, food, or items without saying thank you.

Used in a Sentence: The spoiled child showed a gimme gimme attitude at the store. / We do not like a gimme gimme attitude during holiday sharing.

Similar Expressions: Demanding nature / Greedy demands

40. Pile it high

Definition: Taking an excessive quantity of food or objects on your plate.

Used in a Sentence: He liked to pile it high with mashed potatoes at lunch. / Do not pile it high with toys if you cannot carry them.

Similar Expressions: Stack up / Overload

41. Stash away

Definition: Hiding items secretly so you can keep them all for yourself.

Used in a Sentence: He loved to stash away candy wrappers in his closet. / The squirrel began to stash away acorns in the hollow tree.

Similar Expressions: Hide away / Secretly hoard

42. Salt away

Definition: Saving and hoarding money or items greedily over time.

Used in a Sentence: Uncle Joe liked to salt away coins in a large jar. / He would salt away every dollar he earned from mowing lawns.

Similar Expressions: Save greedily / Accumulate cash

43. Grasping fingers

Definition: Hands that are always trying to snatch things away.

Used in a Sentence: His grasping fingers reached for the last slice of cake. / Keep your grasping fingers off my art supplies.

Similar Expressions: Snatching hands / Greedy grip

44. Take the lot

Definition: Taking every single item available without leaving anything for others.

Used in a Sentence: When buying stickers, he decided to take the lot. / Do not take the lot when others want a turn.

Similar Expressions: Take everything / Grab all items

45. Never satisfied

Definition: A greedy state of mind where getting more never stops.

Used in a Sentence: He is never satisfied even after winning three prizes. / A greedy person is always never satisfied with what they have.

Similar Expressions: Always wanting more / Uncontented mind

46. Want the moon on a stick

Definition: Demanding something completely unreasonable and excessive.

Used in a Sentence: Asking for a new computer every week is wanting the moon on a stick. / He always wants the moon on a stick for his birthday gifts.

Similar Expressions: Expecting miracles / Demanding too much

47. Eye for an eye of gold

Definition: A greedy focus on getting rich by any means necessary.

Used in a Sentence: The greedy character lived with an eye for an eye of gold. / His constant scheming showed an eye for an eye of gold.

Similar Expressions: Gold-obsessed / Wealth-driven

48. Claws in

Definition: Trying to control your greedy urge to snatch things.

Used in a Sentence: The teacher told him to keep his claws in when handing out treats. / Keep your claws in and wait your turn in line.

Similar Expressions: Control yourself / Stop grabbing

49. Grasping at gold

Definition: Desperately trying to acquire wealth or items selfishly.

Used in a Sentence: The story featured villains grasping at gold in the old mine. / He spent his time grasping at gold instead of helping friends.

Similar Expressions: Chasing riches / Seeking wealth greedily

50. All mine

Definition: Claiming ownership over everything in a selfish outburst.

Used in a Sentence: The toddler yelled all mine when anyone touched his building blocks. / Saying all mine to shared playground equipment is not polite.

Similar Expressions: Claim everything / Selfish ownership

Exercise to Practice

1. My brother likes to pig out on pizza whenever we watch a movie.
2. He tried to fish in troubled waters by sharing all his candy with friends.
3. My cousin acted as greedy as a pig when he took all the chocolate bars.
4. The game of monopoly turned into a fierce land grab among players.
5. He walked away slowly because he wanted to keep all for oneself.
6. My uncle acts like a tightwad when it is time to buy ice cream.
7. Aunt Sarah tends to hog the conversation at dinner parties.
8. The hiking kids had a ravenous appetite after walking five miles.
9. He pulled a quick grab and run stunt with the last chocolate cookie.
10. The teacher told him to keep his claws in when handing out treats.
11. Asking for a new computer every week is wanting the moon on a stick.
12. The greedy child yelled all mine when anyone touched his building blocks.
13. Stop acting like a greedy guts and finish every single crumb of pie.
14. The store owner argued over one cent like he wanted to skin a flea for its hide.
15. He liked to stash away candy wrappers in his closet.

Answer Key

1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. True
8. True
9. True
10. True
11. True
12. True
13. True
14. True
15. True

Conclusion

Learning these idioms helps students make their speaking and writing much more colorful and descriptive. When you know what these phrases mean, you can understand stories and character behaviors much better.

Try using one or two of these new expressions when you write a story about sharing or talk with your friends. You will see how fun it is to bring your everyday English to life!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common idioms for a greedy person?

Some popular idioms for a greedy person include pig out for eating excessively, take the lion’s share for grabbing the biggest portion, and tightwad for someone who hates spending. These expressions make character descriptions in stories much more engaging.

Why do we use idioms in English?

Idioms add personality, humor, and color to our speech and writing. Instead of using plain words, people use idioms to paint a fun mental picture for the listener or reader.

How can kids learn idioms easily?

Kids can learn idioms best by reading fun stories, connecting the phrases to everyday situations, and practicing them in sentences. Using them during games and writing exercises helps them stick in your memory.

Can an idiom mean what the words literally say?

No, idioms have a special figurative meaning that is different from the literal definition of the individual words. For example, pig out does not mean turning into an animal; it means eating a large amount of food.

Are idioms difficult for beginners to learn?

Idioms can seem tricky at first because their meanings are hidden, but they become easy and fun once you practice them in sentences. Learning them in small groups helps children build confidence quickly.