Jealous means feeling unhappy or resentful because someone else has something you want, or worried that someone might take away something you care about.

When your best friend starts spending lots of time with a new student, you might feel jealous, worried about losing that friendship. When a younger sibling gets a birthday present you really wanted, jealousy might make you feel grumpy even though you know they deserve their own gifts. If a classmate wins the science fair prize you worked so hard for, jealousy can mix with disappointment and make you feel worse than the loss alone would.

Jealousy comes in different forms. You might feel jealous of someone's talents, possessions, achievements, or relationships. Sometimes jealousy shows up as a knot in your stomach or makes you say things you don't really mean. A jealous person might criticize others unfairly or try to minimize their accomplishments.

The word describes both the feeling and the person experiencing it. Someone might be jealous of their neighbor's new bicycle, or act jealous when their friend sits with a different group at lunch.

Jealousy is a normal human emotion, but it's uncomfortable and can damage friendships if you let it control your actions. The feeling itself isn't wrong, but what matters is recognizing it and choosing how to respond. Sometimes jealousy reveals what you truly want, which can motivate you to work toward your own goals rather than resenting others for reaching theirs.