Greed is a powerful human emotion — the constant hunger for more wealth, power, food, or possessions. In English, idioms are often used to describe such feelings in colorful and memorable ways.
An idiom is a phrase whose meaning goes beyond the literal words, often giving language more richness and depth.
Idioms for greed are especially useful because they help us express attitudes toward selfishness, overindulgence, or an excessive desire for things.
Whether you’re talking about someone who is never satisfied, a business that wants to grab more than its share, or even a friend who just won’t stop eating, idioms for greed make the conversation more vivid.
Learning these expressions not only improves your vocabulary but also helps you understand cultural attitudes toward desire and excess. Let’s explore the most common idioms that reveal how English speakers describe greed.
Did You Know?
The word greed comes from the Old English word grædig, meaning “hungry.” Interestingly, many idioms about greed are related to food and animals because they symbolize insatiable desire. For example, pigs and wolves often appear in sayings because they are seen as eating endlessly.
Idioms About Food and Eating (Greed as Appetite)
Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
Meaning: Taking more responsibility or work than one can handle.
Example: He invested in three businesses at once, but he bit off more than he could chew.
Alternative: “Overextend oneself”
Reflection: Common in everyday conversations when describing ambition mixed with greed.
Stuffed to the Gills
Meaning: Overeating or being extremely full.
Example: After the wedding feast, we were stuffed to the gills.
Alternative: “Fit to burst”
Reflection: Informal, usually used in casual speech after a meal.
Eat Like a Horse
Meaning: To eat a lot, showing great appetite.
Example: Teenagers often eat like a horse because they are growing.
Alternative: “Have a big appetite”
Reflection: Used informally to comment on eating habits.
Eyes Bigger Than One’s Stomach
Meaning: Taking more food than one can actually eat.
Example: He piled his plate high, but his eyes were bigger than his stomach.
Alternative: “Overorder”
Reflection: A playful idiom often used at meals.
Pig Out
Meaning: To eat a lot, usually greedily.
Example: They pigged out on pizza during the game night.
Alternative: “Feast”
Reflection: Informal and humorous, common in friendly conversations.
Have One’s Cake and Eat It Too
Meaning: Wanting to enjoy two things that cannot happen together.
Example: She wants freedom but also complete control—trying to have her cake and eat it too.
Alternative: “Want it both ways”
Reflection: Popular in discussions about selfishness or unrealistic desires.
Wolf Down Food
Meaning: Eating quickly and greedily.
Example: He wolfed down his breakfast before the meeting.
Alternative: “Gobble up”
Reflection: Informal, used in daily life to describe rushed eating.
Glutton for Punishment
Meaning: Someone who keeps doing something difficult or unpleasant, almost greedily.
Example: He keeps running marathons—what a glutton for punishment!
Alternative: “Addicted to hardship”
Reflection: Often humorous or teasing.
Idioms About Wealth and Possessions (Greed for Money)
Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees
Meaning: Money is limited, not endless.
Example: Don’t waste your salary; money doesn’t grow on trees.
Alternative: “Resources are limited”
Reflection: Commonly used in financial advice or parenting.
Cash Cow
Meaning: A business or product that brings constant profit.
Example: That online course became a cash cow for the company.
Alternative: “Profit machine”
Reflection: Mostly used in business or economics.
Filthy Rich
Meaning: Extremely wealthy, sometimes with a greedy tone.
Example: The investor became filthy rich after selling his startup.
Alternative: “Loaded”
Reflection: Informal, often with disapproval.
Golden Goose
Meaning: A valuable resource that keeps giving profit.
Example: The franchise is their golden goose.
Alternative: “Money-spinner”
Reflection: Originates from Aesop’s fable, common in business talk.
Greedy Guts
Meaning: Someone who always wants more, especially food or money.
Example: Don’t be such a greedy guts—share with others.
Alternative: “Selfish person”
Reflection: Childlike, informal, playful.
Born with a Silver Spoon in One’s Mouth
Meaning: Born into wealth or privilege.
Example: She didn’t have to struggle; she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
Alternative: “Privileged”
Reflection: Used in social commentary.
Line One’s Pockets
Meaning: To make money dishonestly.
Example: The corrupt officials were lining their pockets with public funds.
Alternative: “Embezzle”
Reflection: Used in political and formal contexts.
Penny Pincher
Meaning: A person who is extremely unwilling to spend money.
Example: He never tips; he’s such a penny pincher.
Alternative: “Miser”
Reflection: Informal, often critical.
Money Grubber
Meaning: Someone obsessed with making money.
Example: The landlord is nothing but a money grubber.
Alternative: “Greedy person”
Reflection: Negative, used to criticize greed.
Idioms About Power and Control (Greed for Authority)
Power Hungry
Meaning: Wanting more power than is needed.
Example: The new manager seems power hungry.
Alternative: “Control freak”
Reflection: Common in workplace or politics.
Lord It Over
Meaning: To act superior and bossy.
Example: He likes to lord it over his colleagues.
Alternative: “Dominate”
Reflection: Used critically in daily or formal speech.
Take the Lion’s Share
Meaning: Taking the biggest portion of something.
Example: The CEO took the lion’s share of the bonus.
Alternative: “Grab most”
Reflection: Business and everyday use.
Corner the Market
Meaning: To control a product or industry.
Example: The company cornered the market on smartphones.
Alternative: “Monopolize”
Reflection: Business-related.
Dog in the Manger
Meaning: Not using something but also not letting others use it.
Example: He won’t read the books, but won’t lend them either—a real dog in the manger.
Alternative: “Selfish hoarder”
Reflection: Old-fashioned but still recognized.
Rule with an Iron Fist
Meaning: Leading in a very strict and controlling way.
Example: The dictator ruled with an iron fist.
Alternative: “Authoritarian”
Reflection: Historical, political, formal.
Idioms About Endless Desire (Never Enough)
Grab All You Can
Meaning: Taking as much as possible.
Example: During the sale, shoppers tried to grab all they could.
Alternative: “Snatch everything”
Reflection: Common in informal speech.
Never Enough
Meaning: Always wanting more.
Example: For some people, money is never enough.
Alternative: “Insatiable”
Reflection: Daily life and commentary.
All-Consuming Desire
Meaning: A passion or greed that takes over everything.
Example: His all-consuming desire for power ruined his friendships.
Alternative: “Overwhelming craving”
Reflection: Formal or literary.
Eat Someone Alive
Meaning: Take advantage of someone completely.
Example: Greedy businessmen will eat you alive if you’re not careful.
Alternative: “Exploit”
Reflection: Informal, often as a warning.
More Than One Can Shake a Stick At
Meaning: Having far more than necessary.
Example: She’s got more shoes than you can shake a stick at.
Alternative: “Too many”
Reflection: Informal, often humorous.
Grabby Hands
Meaning: Someone who always wants to take things.
Example: Keep your grabby hands off my snacks!
Alternative: “Greedy fingers”
Reflection: Informal, playful.
Insatiable Appetite
Meaning: Desire that cannot be satisfied.
Example: He has an insatiable appetite for power.
Alternative: “Unquenchable thirst”
Reflection: Formal and literary.
How to Use These Idioms in Daily Life
- In speaking: Use idioms like “pig out” or “eyes bigger than one’s stomach” casually with friends. For formal talks, choose “insatiable appetite” or “line one’s pockets.”
- In writing: Idioms enrich essays, blogs, or stories. For example, in business writing, “corner the market” makes your language vivid.
- In professional settings: Stick to idioms like “cash cow,” “power hungry,” or “rule with an iron fist,” as they are well-understood in formal English.
Common Mistakes Learners Make With Idioms
- Wrong Use of Literal Meaning
❌ He bit more than he could chew at dinner.
✔️ He bit off more than he could chew with extra work. - Mixing Two Idioms
❌ He wants his cake and money on trees.
✔️ He wants to have his cake and eat it too. - Using Idioms in the Wrong Tone
❌ The president pigged out on power. (Too informal for politics)
✔️ The president is power hungry. (Correct tone)
FAQs
Q1: What are idioms for greed mainly about?
They describe overindulgence in food, money, power, or desire. Many come from everyday life, animals, or old stories.
Q2: Are idioms for greed formal or informal?
Some are casual like “pig out,” while others like “insatiable appetite” are formal. Choosing depends on the situation.
Q3: Can I use these idioms in essays?
Yes, but pick the right ones. For academic or business essays, “line one’s pockets” or “cash cow” fit better than “greedy guts.”
Q4: Do idioms about greed exist in other languages?
Yes, almost every culture has sayings about selfishness or excess, often linked to animals or wealth.
Q5: Which idioms are best for business English?
“Cash cow,” “corner the market,” “line one’s pockets,” and “golden goose” are commonly used in professional contexts.
Conclusion
Greed is a universal theme, and English idioms capture its many shades—whether it’s the hunger for food, money, power, or possessions.
From playful sayings like “greedy guts” to powerful expressions like “rule with an iron fist,” these idioms make language more lively and expressive.
By practicing them in conversations, writing, and even professional contexts, you’ll not only sound more natural but also understand how culture shapes the way we talk about desire.
So the next time you see someone wanting more than they need, you’ll have the perfect idiom ready.
