greedy for + thing
Strong desire for something
This is the standard and most common pattern.
The investor was greedy for quick returns.
Greedy for, in, of, with or about?
Greedy for is the standard pattern for strong desire. Other prepositions usually have different meanings or are uncommon.
Quick answer
Which preposition is used with greedy?
Use greedy for to describe wanting too much of something. Greedy with can describe unwillingness to share. Greedy in, greedy of, and greedy about are generally nonstandard in this use.
The company became greedy for profit.
He's greedy with his time.
He's greedy with his time.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
greedy with + resource
Unwilling to share
Use with to describe possessive behaviour.
She is greedy with information.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
greedy for
They were greedy for power.
wanting too much of something
greedy with
He is greedy with money.
unwilling to share
greedy about
She is greedy about attention.
occasionally used informally, but less standard than greedy for
greedy in
The firm was greedy in business.
possible only where in introduces a context, not a fixed pattern
greedy of
They were greedy of praise.
old-fashioned and uncommon
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using greedy in as a fixed pattern
Use greedy for for desire.
✕ He is greedy in success. ✓ He is greedy for success.Using greedy of in modern neutral English
Greedy of sounds old-fashioned.
✕ She was greedy of money. ✓ She was greedy for money.Quick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. The child was greedy ___ sweets.
2. He's greedy ___ his possessions.
3. The phrase greedy ___ praise sounds old-fashioned.
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Frequently asked questions
Is greedy for always negative?
Usually yes, because it suggests excessive desire.
Can greedy with be positive?
Not usually. It often means selfish or ungenerous.
Is greedy about incorrect?
It appears in informal speech, but greedy for is more standard.
Related preposition guides
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