avarice | avaricious

Exam frequency

GRE

high

Banks

high

Civil Services

high

Meaning(s)

an excessive desire for wealth or gain

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avarice - greed

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‘Avarice' has a very similar meaning to ‘greed’, but is considered to be a stronger version of it. It is regarded as something despicable and evil, even a sin, as this type of greed involves valuing material things and desiring personal gain above all else.

ExamsSpokenOther
Synonyms rapacity
Antonyms philanthropy

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  1. Mary thought that the company’s lay-offs were the result of corporate avarice rather than fiscal prudence.

  2. The business was sold to an avaricious consortium who were only interested in stripping its assets.

  3. There seemed to be a refreshing lack of avarice during the crisis. People instead looked out for each other.

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