The Adverb of Greedy: Greedily
The adverb of greedy is greedily.
How greedily is formed
Consonant plus -y, so the y becomes i: greedy → greedi + ly = greedily.
The standard -y rule, shared with clumsy → clumsily, hasty → hastily and lazy → lazily.
Greedily in a sentence
| He ate greedily, barely pausing. | The core use, with verbs of consuming. |
| She eyed the last slice greedily. | Desire rather than action. |
| The company expanded greedily into every market. | Figurative, and always critical. |
Where it is actually used
Knowing the form is one thing; knowing the company a word keeps is what makes it sound natural. These are the patterns greedily appears in most often.
| ate / drank / gulped greedily | Consumption, usually with an edge of disapproval. |
| eyed / stared greedily | Wanting something visibly. |
| seized / grabbed greedily | Taking more than a fair share. |
Greedily or something else?
Several adverbs sit close to greedily, and the difference is usually meaning rather than formality.
| hungrily | Describes appetite without judging it. A starving person eats hungrily, not greedily. |
| voraciously | About quantity, and often admiring – reads voraciously is a compliment. |
| avidly | Eagerness with no negative charge at all. |
The mistake to watch for
| Incorrect | Correct |
| greedyly | greedily |
The y changes to i before the ending. No adjective in this group keeps its y unless it is a single syllable.
Related forms
Pronunciation: GREE-di-lee, three syllables.
| Adjective | greedy |
| Adverb | greedily |
| Noun | greed / greediness |
| Comparative | greedier / more greedily |
Practice
Fill the gap, then check yourself.
- After two days without food he ate ___.
- She ___ took a second helping before anyone else had one.
- He reads ___, three books a week.
Answers: 1. hungrily (no blame) 2. greedily 3. voraciously / avidly
Frequently asked
Is greedily always negative?
Almost always. It carries a judgement that hungrily and eagerly do not. If you do not mean to criticise, choose a different adverb.
