acquisitiveness

/əˈkwɪzətɪvnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈkwɪzətɪvnəs/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈkwi-zə-tiv-nəs/ (ame, mw)

acquisitiveness — noun

1. a strong wish to obtain and keep material objects, often leading someone to coll

1.名詞C1
釋義

a strong wish to obtain and keep material objects, often leading someone to collect far more than they actually need or can use

例句

Mei-Lin's friends joked about her acquisitiveness, as she returned from every trip with more souvenirs than clothes.

possessive + noun: 'her acquisitiveness'

One-click online shopping has turned casual browsers into people troubled by their own acquisitiveness.

同義詞
  • greed

    broader and more strongly negative; greed can apply to money, food, or power, while acquisitiveness is specific to material objects

  • materialism

    focuses on the belief that possessions are the most important thing in life, rather than the emotional drive to acquire them

  • hoarding instinct

    more clinical or behavioural; implies a compulsive need to accumulate things, often beyond practical use

反義詞
  • generosity

    the opposite trait — willingness to give things away rather than accumulate them

  • minimalism

    a lifestyle or philosophy that deliberately limits possessions, the direct opposite of acquisitiveness

文法句型

the + noun

possessive + noun

用法筆記

Typically used with a possessive determiner (her acquisitiveness, the company's acquisitiveness) or the definite article. Avoid in casual conversation; the simpler noun greed or materialism is more common in everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌His acquisitiveness for books was huge.
✅His acquisitiveness was evident from the piles of books in every room.
💡The noun is not followed by 'for'; it stands alone or is qualified by context.
❌She has a lot of acquisitiveness.
✅Her acquisitiveness was well known among her friends.
💡The noun is uncountable and sounds unnatural with 'a lot of'; a possessive or definite article is preferred.

2. the practice or strategy of a company regularly purchasing other businesses, esp

2.名詞C2
釋義

the practice or strategy of a company regularly purchasing other businesses, especially as a way to grow quickly instead of developing new products or services internally

例句

The board grew uneasy about the firm's acquisitiveness after it bought three struggling competitors in a single quarter.

Sofia warned that the startup's acquisitiveness would leave it with overlapping teams and no clear direction.

warned about + noun + 's acquisitiveness

同義詞
  • acquisition spree

    more vivid and slightly informal; describes a period of intense buying rather than a general tendency

  • M&A activity

    the neutral business term for mergers and acquisitions, without the judgemental tone of acquisitiveness

反義詞
  • organic growth

    the opposite business strategy — expanding by developing products and customers internally rather than buying other companies

文法句型

possessive + noun

the + noun + of + noun

用法筆記

Restricted to formal business writing — annual reports, investor presentations, financial journalism. In everyday workplace conversation, acquisition spree or buying binge is preferred.