jealous
jealous — adjective
1. feeling upset or angry because the person you love appears to prefer spending ti
feeling upset or angry because the person you love appears to prefer spending time with someone else in a romantic way
Kian felt jealous when he saw his girlfriend laughing with a handsome stranger.
jealous + when-clause describing romantic context
Eleni's jealous husband checked her phone messages every night without her knowledge.
collocation: jealous husband
The actress became jealous of her co-star's growing friendship with the director.
"Stop being so jealous — we're just old friends!" Diya told her boyfriend.
Joshua admitted he felt jealous whenever his partner talked about her ex-boyfriend.
- possessive
focuses on the desire to control a partner's attention, not the emotional reaction itself
- suspicious
highlights mistrust rather than the upset feeling; can be less intense
文法句型
jealous + of + [person]
be/feel/become + jealous
用法筆記
Frequently restricted to romantic or sexual relationship contexts. The person who attracts your partner's interest is the object of 'of'.
常見錯誤
2. the feeling of unhappiness or anger that comes when you see another person enjoy
the feeling of unhappiness or anger that comes when you see another person enjoying something you strongly want for yourself — such as wealth, talent, or success
Ayana was secretly jealous of her sister's new car and stylish apartment.
jealous + of + [possession]
Caleb could not help feeling jealous when his friend got the promotion he wanted.
Children often become jealous when a younger sibling gets more attention from their parents.
Ryo tried not to be jealous of his classmates who traveled abroad every summer.
Lakan felt a pang of envy watching his neighbour's luxurious garden party.
文法句型
jealous + of + [someone's possession/achievement/quality]
feel/become/get + jealous
用法筆記
This sense covers envy of any advantage — wealth, appearance, talent, popularity, opportunities. Unlike sense 1, it does not involve romantic relationships. The object of 'of' is the thing or advantage the other person has.
常見錯誤
3. wanting very carefully to keep something that belongs to you and not share it wi
wanting very carefully to keep something that belongs to you and not share it with anyone else, because it feels important to who you are
The librarian felt jealous of every book on her shelves and refused to lend them.
jealous + of + [concrete possession]
Evelyn is jealous of her privacy and rarely shares personal details online.
jealous + of + [abstract noun: privacy]
The dragon was jealous of its golden treasure and guarded it night and day.
Andrés's grandmother was jealous of her family recipes and refused to write them down.
- protective
broader term covering both emotional and physical guarding; less intense than jealous
- possessive
overlaps with sense 3 but often implies controlling behaviour toward people, not things
- careless
does not guard or protect what one has
- indifferent
unconcerned about losing or sharing possessions
文法句型
jealous + of + [abstract noun]
jealous + of + [personal possession]
用法筆記
Unlike senses 1 and 2, this sense expresses no anger or envy toward another person — it is about guarding what is yours. Commonly appears with abstract objects such as privacy, independence, or reputation.