Jealousy – it’s that feeling we all know but wish we didn’t. When someone has something we want or achieves success, that little green monster inside us can rear its head.
In this article, we’ll delve into idioms for jealousy, uncovering their meanings and providing real-life examples for each one.
What is an idiom for jealousy?
Idioms are like secret codes of language – they say one thing but mean something entirely different.
When it comes to idioms for jealousy, they often involve the color green and sometimes even creatures with envious tendencies.
Let’s explore these idiomatic expressions and uncover their true meanings.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Green with envy | Extremely jealous of someone else’s success or possessions. | When I saw my friend’s new car, I turned green with envy because I wanted one too. |
| Jealous as a cat | Easily provoked or upset by jealousy. | She’s jealous as a cat, always suspicious of her partner’s actions. |
| Eat one’s heart out | Feel intense jealousy or envy towards someone. | While he’s enjoying his vacation, I’ll just have to eat my heart out with jealousy. |
| Envy’s green-eyed monster | The destructive and consuming aspect of jealousy. | She couldn’t control Envy’s green-eyed monster when she saw her rival’s promotion. |
| In the green-eyed monster’s grip | Under the control of intense jealousy. | His obsession with her success had him in the green-eyed monster’s grip. |
| Green-eyed with jealousy | Visibly envious of someone. | When she heard about his new job, she looked green-eyed with jealousy. |
| Burning with envy | Consumed by jealousy, feeling intense heat of envy. | She was burning with envy when her friend won the talent show. |
| Eyes in the back of one’s head | Uncanny ability to detect signs of jealousy or envy in others. | She has eyes in the back of her head; she can tell when someone is jealous of her. |
| Green-eyed monster | A metaphorical representation of jealousy. | Don’t let the green-eyed monster take control; be happy for your friend’s success. |
| Green-eyed demon | Describing the destructive nature of jealousy. | His jealousy turned him into a green-eyed demon, causing problems in his relationship. |
| Turn green with jealousy | Become visibly jealous or envious. | She turned green with jealousy when she saw her ex with someone new. |
| Eyeing someone with jealousy | Watching someone closely, often with a jealous intent. | She couldn’t help but eye her colleague with jealousy when he got the promotion she wanted. |
| Sick with jealousy | Feeling physically ill due to intense jealousy. | Seeing her crush with someone else made her sick with jealousy. |
| Jealousy rearing its head | Jealousy becoming noticeable or evident. | Every time they discussed her success, jealousy reared its head among her friends. |
| Consumed by jealousy | Overwhelmed and controlled by jealousy. | He was so consumed by jealousy that he couldn’t enjoy his own achievements. |
| Seeing red with envy | Feeling intense jealousy or anger. | When she won the lottery, her neighbors were seeing red with envy. |
| Yellow-eyed with jealousy | Envious but not as intensely as “green-eyed.” | Although he was happy for his friend’s success, he couldn’t help but feel a bit yellow-eyed with jealousy. |
| A green-eyed look | A look of envy or jealousy. | She shot him a green-eyed look when he won the game. |
| Green around the gills with envy | Appearing physically ill due to intense jealousy. | She looked green around the gills with envy when her sister got a brand new car. |
| Jealousy’s grip | Firmly under the control of jealousy. | He couldn’t escape jealousy’s grip when he saw his rival’s success. |
| Jealous as a hornet | Very angry or upset due to jealousy. | She’s jealous as a hornet when her friends make plans without her. |
| The green monster of jealousy | Metaphorical reference to jealousy. | Beware of the green monster of jealousy; it can destroy relationships. |
| Green-eyed beast | Another term for the destructive aspect of jealousy. | His green-eyed beast led him to sabotage her chances of success. |
| Jealousy’s poison | The harmful and toxic nature of jealousy. | Don’t let jealousy’s poison ruin your friendships. |
| Envious to the core | Extremely jealous at one’s very core. | His actions revealed that he was envious to the core of his being. |
| Fit to be tied with jealousy | Extremely angry or upset due to jealousy. | She was fit to be tied with jealousy when she found out her best friend had a new best friend. |
| Burning a hole with jealousy | Feeling intense jealousy that it feels like it’s burning inside. | Her success was burning a hole with jealousy in her heart. |
Jealousy is like a green-eyed monster lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce and devour the tranquility of the heart. For more comparisons to describe jealousy, you can check this link: Similes for jealousy. And for a variety of metaphors related to jealousy, you can explore this link: Metaphors for jealousy.
Idioms for Jealousy
1. Green with envy
Meaning: To be extremely jealous of someone else’s success or possessions.
In a Sentence: When I saw my friend’s new car, I turned green with envy because I wanted one too.
2. Jealous as a cat
Meaning: To be easily provoked or upset by jealousy.
In a Sentence: She’s jealous as a cat, always suspicious of her partner’s actions.
3. Eat one’s heart out
Meaning: To feel intense jealousy or envy towards someone.
In a Sentence: While he’s enjoying his vacation, I’ll just have to eat my heart out with jealousy.
4. Envy’s green-eyed monster
Meaning: The destructive and consuming aspect of jealousy.
In a Sentence: She couldn’t control Envy’s green-eyed monster when she saw her rival’s promotion.
5. In the green-eyed monster’s grip
Meaning: To be under the control of intense jealousy.
In a Sentence: His obsession with her success had him in the green-eyed monster’s grip.
6. Green-eyed with jealousy
Meaning: To be visibly envious of someone.
In a Sentence: When she heard about his new job, she looked green-eyed with jealousy.
7. Burning with envy
Meaning: To be consumed by jealousy, feeling intense heat of envy.
In a Sentence: She was burning with envy when her friend won the talent show.
8. Eyes in the back of one’s head
Meaning: To have an uncanny ability to detect signs of jealousy or envy in others.
In a Sentence: She has eyes in the back of her head; she can tell when someone is jealous of her.
9. Green-eyed monster
Meaning: A metaphorical representation of jealousy.
In a Sentence: Don’t let the green-eyed monster take control; be happy for your friend’s success.
10. Green-eyed demon
Meaning: Another way to describe the destructive nature of jealousy.
In a Sentence: His jealousy turned him into a green-eyed demon, causing problems in his relationship.
11. Turn green with jealousy
Meaning: To become visibly jealous or envious.
In a Sentence: She turned green with jealousy when she saw her ex with someone new.
12. Eyeing someone with jealousy
Meaning: Watching someone closely, often with a jealous intent.
In a Sentence: She couldn’t help but eye her colleague with jealousy when he got the promotion she wanted.
13. Sick with jealousy
Meaning: To feel physically ill due to intense jealousy.
In a Sentence: Seeing her crush with someone else made her sick with jealousy.
14. Jealousy rearing its head
Meaning: To see jealousy becoming noticeable or evident.
In a Sentence: Every time they discussed her success, jealousy reared its head among her friends.
15. Consumed by jealousy
Meaning: To be overwhelmed and controlled by jealousy.
In a Sentence: He was so consumed by jealousy that he couldn’t enjoy his own achievements.
16. Seeing red with envy
Meaning: To feel intense jealousy or anger.
In a Sentence: When she won the lottery, her neighbors were seeing red with envy.
17. Yellow-eyed with jealousy
Meaning: To be envious but not as intensely as “green-eyed.”
In a Sentence: Although he was happy for his friend’s success, he couldn’t help but feel a bit yellow-eyed with jealousy.
18. A green-eyed look
Meaning: A look of envy or jealousy.
In a Sentence: She shot him a green-eyed look when he won the game.
19. Green around the gills with envy
Meaning: To appear physically ill due to intense jealousy.
In a Sentence: She looked green around the gills with envy when her sister got a brand new car.
20. Jealousy’s grip
Meaning: To be firmly under the control of jealousy.
In a Sentence: He couldn’t escape jealousy’s grip when he saw his rival’s success.
21. Jealous as a hornet
Meaning: To be very angry or upset due to jealousy.
In a Sentence: She’s jealous as a hornet when her friends make plans without her.
22. The green monster of jealousy
Meaning: A metaphorical reference to jealousy.
In a Sentence: Beware of the green monster of jealousy; it can destroy relationships.
23. Green-eyed beast
Meaning: Another term for the destructive aspect of jealousy.
In a Sentence: His green-eyed beast led him to sabotage her chances of success.
24. Jealousy’s poison
Meaning: The harmful and toxic nature of jealousy.
In a Sentence: Don’t let jealousy’s poison ruin your friendships.
25. Envious to the core
Meaning: To be extremely jealous at one’s very core.
In a Sentence: His actions revealed that he was envious to the core of his being.
26. Fit to be tied with jealousy
Meaning: To be extremely angry or upset due to jealousy.
In a Sentence: She was fit to be tied with jealousy when she found out her best friend had a new best friend.
27. Burning a hole with jealousy
Meaning: Feeling intense jealousy that it feels like it’s burning inside.
In a Sentence: Her success was burning a hole with jealousy in her heart.
Quizzes About The Idioms in The Article
Here are 10 quiz questions related to the idioms for jealousy mentioned in the article:
Quiz 1: Green with Envy
- What does the idiom “Green with envy” mean?
a) Feeling calm and content
b) Feeling extremely jealous of someone else’s success or possessions
c) Feeling sad
Quiz 2: Eat One’s Heart Out
- What does the idiom “Eat one’s heart out” mean?
a) To consume a hearty meal
b) To feel intense jealousy or envy towards someone
c) To have a healthy heart
Quiz 3: Eyes in the Back of One’s Head
- What does the idiom “Eyes in the back of one’s head” mean?
a) Having a supernatural ability to see behind oneself
b) Having no ability to see
c) Having extra eyes on one’s face
Quiz 4: Yellow-eyed with Jealousy
- What does the idiom “Yellow-eyed with jealousy” imply?
a) Feeling no jealousy at all
b) Feeling extremely jealous but not as intensely as “green-eyed”
c) Feeling happy and content
Quiz 5: Jealousy’s Poison
- What does the idiom “Jealousy’s Poison” refer to?
a) The positive effects of jealousy
b) The harmful and toxic nature of jealousy
c) A potion made from jealousy
Quiz 6: Turn Green with Jealousy
- What happens when someone “Turns green with jealousy”?
a) They become physically ill
b) They become visibly jealous or envious
c) They turn into the Incredible Hulk
Quiz 7: Jealous as a Hornet
- What does the idiom “Jealous as a hornet” describe?
a) Someone who is extremely calm and collected
b) Someone who is very angry or upset due to jealousy
c) Someone who is happy
Quiz 8: Seeing Red with Envy
- What does it mean when someone is “Seeing red with envy”?
a) They are experiencing a burst of creativity
b) They are feeling intense jealousy or anger
c) They have perfect vision
Quiz 9: In the Green-Eyed Monster’s Grip
- What does it imply when someone is “In the green-eyed monster’s grip”?
a) They are under the control of intense jealousy
b) They are in a friendly competition
c) They are practicing martial arts
Quiz 10: Jealousy Rearing Its Head
- What does the idiom “Jealousy rearing its head” mean?
a) Jealousy becoming noticeable or evident
b) Jealousy taking a nap
c) Jealousy disappearing completely
Answers:
- b) Feeling extremely jealous of someone else’s success or possessions
- b) To feel intense jealousy or envy towards someone
- a) Having a supernatural ability to see behind oneself
- b) Feeling extremely jealous but not as intensely as “green-eyed”
- b) The harmful and toxic nature of jealousy
- b) They become visibly jealous or envious
- b) Someone who is very angry or upset due to jealousy
- b) They are feeling intense jealousy or anger
- a) They are under the control of intense jealousy
- a) Jealousy becoming noticeable or evident
Conclusion
Now that you’ve explored these idioms for jealousy, you can better understand the different ways we describe this complex emotion. Jealousy can be like a green-eyed monster, but it’s important to recognize it and work on managing these feelings constructively.
