miserly

adjective

mi·ser·ly ˈmī-zər-lē

Synonyms of miserly next

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a miser

especially : marked by grasping meanness and penuriousness

The team's miserly owner refused to buy new equipment.

miserliness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for miserly

stingy, close, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, miserly mean being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others.

stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions.

folks who are very close when charity calls

niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

Examples of miserly in a Sentence

He was given a miserly raise. my brother, who is notoriously miserly, surprised us when he offered to pick up the tab

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

One of the things that bedeviled American politics this century is our close elections, which has made our parties and their leaders miserly with their political capital. —

Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025 While casual fans and explosive-offense junkies may tap out early (not for nothing did the Vegas books set the over/under at a miserly 44.5 points), the stakes are far too high to pass up on the inaugural semifinal of the 12-team College Football Playoff era. —

Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Jan. 2025 The wage increase of $8.25 a month seems a miserly addition. —

Chloe Berger, Fortune Asia, 9 Jan. 2025 The show finds Homer desperate to scrape together enough money to pay for a fun family Christmas after his miserly boss, Mr. Burns, cancelled the holiday bonus and Marge had to empty the piggy bank to remove a tattoo that Bart had gotten at the mall. —

Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for miserly