as in penurious
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Recent Examples of costive
In fact, their writings are more pungent now that they have been liberated from the costive confines of the movement.
—
Jacob Heilbrunn, The New Republic, 23 Jan. 2020
Movies coiled up in other movies have a habit of becoming either costive or cute, but somehow Falardeau avoids the traps.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 May 2017
Jacob Heilbrunn, The New Republic, 23 Jan. 2020
Movies coiled up in other movies have a habit of becoming either costive or cute, but somehow Falardeau avoids the traps.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for costive
Adjective
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Those who are approved must cope with notoriously unreliable in-home nursing, a byproduct of the state’s penurious reimbursement rates.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
17 Jan. 2025
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Even so, the general picture of a mother’s absence and a daughter’s understandable resentment at having had to pick up the maternal slack in penurious conditions comes through loud and clear.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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But neither can anyone seriously accuse the United States of being ungenerous with its citizens’ lives and treasure or of having no ideals.—
Joshua Landis,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Jan. 2016
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This is the problem with the show: These women are just concocting reasons why the people on the other side suck, and it’s become the most uncharitable, the most ungenerous thing on Bravo.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
15 July 2024
Adjective
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Some have felt conflicted, but after decades without success and 14 years of soulless drudgery under Mike Ashley’s parsimonious ownership, many were willing to accept anything for the promise or even just the hope of better times.—
Oliver Kay,
The Athletic,
19 Mar. 2025
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His father was intensely parsimonious as well, and once tried to build a front fence by hammering bookshelves together.—
Nathan Heller,
The New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Liverpool’s torpid display at Wembley against Newcastle will have hurt Merseyside pride, but the cost to club coffers is minimal; League Cup compensation is miserly, even for the winners.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
The Athletic,
20 Mar. 2025
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Florida is the only state in the geographic Deep South with a higher minimum wage than the federal government’s miserly $7.25 an hour.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Bad guys are selfish, greedy, and prone to speeches.—
John DeVore,
Rolling Stone,
31 Mar. 2025
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But the use of performance enhancing substances by professional athletes is also a selfish act.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Danny is preparing her staff for an imminent natural disaster in this scene, so the tone’s quite serious already, and her opinion of Grey’s seems uncharitable at best.—
Rebecca Luther,
TVLine,
3 Apr. 2025
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An uncharitable interpretation of these findings would conclude that people with fibromyalgia are complainers.—
Peter Ubel,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The nation's stingiest defense held the Vols to 15 first-half points, the fewest in an Elite Eight game since 1979.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
30 Mar. 2025
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Showdown beyond the arc One of the most intriguing matchups in Atlanta will be Ole Miss’ 3-point shooters, led by Sean Pedulla, taking on a Michigan State defense that is one of the nation’s stingiest outside the arc.—
Paul Newberry,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Every year, a complacent, tightfisted city council turned down the recommendations.—
Margaret Talbot,
The New Yorker,
2 Oct. 2023
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Kotick played the tightfisted owner of the Oakland A’s.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
31 May 2023
Cite this Entry
“Costive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/costive. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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