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I'm divorced, she remarried a wealthy man around a year after our divorce. She demands more maintenance than I can afford, despite having lots of money.

Is there a term or saying for her behaviour? Is "Insatiable" the correct term? Does "give her an inch and she'll take a mile" apply?

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  • In what context do you want to talk about your ex-wife's behaviour? The kind of language you would use with friends at the pub would be quite different to the language that you would use when talking to a family lawyer...... The question "what is wrong with her, of do I miss something" is off topic and I'll remove it.
    – James K
    Mar 25, 2021 at 17:22
  • Have you considered greedy?
    – Davo
    Mar 26, 2021 at 16:27

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Neither expression works well.

Insatiable refers to a desire that can't be satisfied. Perhaps you could say "She has an insatiable desire to bankrupt me", but its not clear if this the case. Insatiable is often used for an unlimited desire for sex.

"Give an inch, take a mile" is someone who takes advantage of small kindnesses:

She asked if she could stay over for a night or two while she found a new place to live. But give her an inch, and she'll take a mile, and she's still sleeping on my sofa and helping herself to the contents of my fridge.

Since you are not being "kind" (you only pay what you must) it doesn't apply.

Simple terms for this behaviour include "greedy" or "money-grabbing".

A formal term is "avarice". It is a noun: "Her avarice is unlimited."

If her intent is to hurt you, rather than enrich herself, you could call her "spiteful" or "vindictive"

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