NEEDINESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does neediness mean? 

• NEEDINESS (noun)
  The noun NEEDINESS has 2 senses:

1. a state of extreme poverty

2. the quality of needing attention and affection and reassurance to a marked degree

  Familiarity information: NEEDINESS used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NEEDINESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A state of extreme poverty

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

deprivation; neediness; privation; want

Hypernyms ("neediness" is a kind of...):

impoverishment; poorness; poverty (the state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions)

Derivation:

needy (poor enough to need help from others)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The quality of needing attention and affection and reassurance to a marked degree

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

he recognized her neediness but had no time to respond to it

Hypernyms ("neediness" is a kind of...):

quality (an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone)

Derivation:

needy (demanding or needing attention, affection, or reassurance to an excessive degree)