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Confusables Entry 1162 / 1350 60-second read

Envy vs. Greed

Wanting what someone else has versus wanting more than you need.

The comparisoni

✗ Wrong

He felt greed when his friend bought a Ferrari.

✓ Correct

He felt envy when his friend bought a Ferrari — envy is wanting someone else's specific thing.

The ruleii

ENVY = their thing. GREED = more for me.

ENVY is targeted — directed at a specific person and what they have. GREED is general — an appetite for more of anything, with no particular target. One of the seven deadly sins each, but distinct.

Memory aidiii

Remember it like this

Envy points at you. Greed reaches past you.

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