coveted

[ kuhv-i-tid ]

adjective

1. wrongfully or inordinately desired:

   Pizarro led a party of conquistadores in an attempt to discover El Dorado—the source of the coveted gold of the Incas.

2. highly or eagerly wished for:

   The Green Building Council's gold certification is a coveted prize for sustainable building design.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of covet ( def ).

Other Words From

• un·cov·et·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of coveted¹

covet ( def ) + -ed ²( def )

Example Sentences

More questionable, however, is whether UCLA, UC Berkeley and UC San Diego will still give an additional 902 California students highly coveted seats in place of out-of-state and international students if the state cuts back funding that offsets the loss of the higher tuition that nonresidents pay.

From Los Angeles Times

"It’s still a level of satisfaction that I feel is still sinking in because it is something I coveted and wanted to do for ever."

From BBC

There’s a reason “Sunset Blvd.” has become the most coveted Broadway ticket since Lea Michele triumphed in “Funny Girl.”

From Los Angeles Times

But after his election, Obama gave Clinton the coveted secretary of state post and eight years later backed her for president over Biden.

From Los Angeles Times

However, she has never won the coveted album of the year trophy, despite four nominations in the category.

From BBC

Related Words

• crave
• envy
• lust after