Envy: quick facts
Envy is the painful emotion felt when someone else has an advantage, possession, or quality that one desires. It centres on a comparison between the self and another and is distinct from jealousy, which concerns the…
Category
Complex & secondary emotions
Valence
Negative
Emotion family / blend
Sadness + anger
Typical triggers
Another person having something one wants
How it's expressed
Resentment, longing, social comparison, withdrawal
Sources: American Psychological Association — APA Dictionary: emotion; Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley — Emotions. Educational information only — not medical or psychological advice. See our sources & fact-check policy.