Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The state of being needy; want; poverty; indigence.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The state or quality of being needy; want; poverty; indigence.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The characteristic of being needy.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the quality of needing attention and affection and reassurance to a marked degree
  • noun a state of extreme poverty

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

needy +‎ -ness

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Examples

  • And neediness is the biggest turn off; the thing most likely to send any man/boy running at top speed in the opposite direction.

    snap 2007

  • And neediness is the biggest turn off; the thing most likely to send any man/boy running at top speed in the opposite direction.

    snap 2007

  • I think her "neediness" may keep other young women at bay.

    1920's Interior Decorating 2008

  • It can make the money addict afraid of their own "neediness" because it makes them feel too out of control inside, so they hide it from others (and themselves) seeing it as weak and ugly.

    Dr. Tian Dayton: Money Addiction 2009

  • Partners exhibiting traits of control, manipulation, dishonesty and "neediness" or narcissism really do not need to be dated or married - and especially - to reproduce.

    April 2009 2009

  • Falling that, I mean you have look at a really disturbed personality, someone who has a gaping hole in their psyche, you know, the kind of neediness that just oozes.

    CNN Transcript Aug 1, 2003 2003

  • I do have to give credit to our waitress as she was pretty outstanding in her service and never once lost her cool with us despite our groups size and for some reason, our higher than average "neediness".

    Recent Reviews Near San Francisco, CA 2010

  • In fact, he probably sees any sort of neediness in you as a turnoff.

    The Lo-Down Lo Bosworth 2011

  • This is said with no self-pity at all: she has a horror of self-pity, of neediness and of anger – and especially, and always, of the thing they can lead to, proper depression – and that horror can tip into a slightly manic sort of cheerfulness.

    The Saturday interview: Caitlin Moran 2011

  • Far more, he subtly manages to make nerdiness and neediness appealing.

    He Makes 'White Rice' Funny Joanne Kaufman 2011

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