as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
offered her guest only one measly cookie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of measly
The Jonathan that Nancy brought to the page no longer exists; neither does her version of Catherine — a femme fatale conjured from a measly roll of boudoir photos.
—
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024
That's down from last year's record-setting $12.2 billion, but way up from the measly $7-$9 billion Americans spent between 2014-2020.
—Karri Peifer, Axios, 30 Oct. 2024
Rather than hanging out with John Fisher, maybe Bob Nutting should spend some time in Kansas City with John Sherman or in Detroit with Christopher Ilitch, and learn how an investment in players, and a commitment to winning, can pay dividends well beyond a measly $200,000.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
These aren’t measly sales with no-name brands either.
—Megan McCarty, StyleCaster, 23 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for measly 
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024
That's down from last year's record-setting $12.2 billion, but way up from the measly $7-$9 billion Americans spent between 2014-2020.
—Karri Peifer, Axios, 30 Oct. 2024
Rather than hanging out with John Fisher, maybe Bob Nutting should spend some time in Kansas City with John Sherman or in Detroit with Christopher Ilitch, and learn how an investment in players, and a commitment to winning, can pay dividends well beyond a measly $200,000.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
These aren’t measly sales with no-name brands either.
—Megan McCarty, StyleCaster, 23 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for measly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for measly
Adjective
-
That term traditionally implies a nominal or even negligible sum of money, which this was not.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2025
-
Cultural battles are waged over single-gender bathrooms, diversity quotas, and female sports leagues — all under the same nominal movement.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The French fashion house pointed to a slight improvement in Asia Pacific and North America sales across its Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta brands, but did not provide details on specific markets.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Last year, a pair of researchers claimed that the shockwaves of the shutdown could be felt as far as the moon, causing a slight dip in lunar surface temperatures.—
Nola Taylor Tillman,
Space.com,
10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The gals at Always Booked put together the most fantastic event down to the tiniest detail.—
American Booksellers Association,
USA TODAY,
9 Feb. 2025
-
Average footballer gets incredibly rich from moving around: pass me the tiny violin.—
Jack Lang,
The Athletic,
9 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Bannon and three other men were accused of pocketing donations, while the group managed to build a paltry three miles of fencing along the southern border.—
Adam Reiss,Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2025
-
The amount of snow will be paltry, with only a dusting to light snowfall likely.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
10 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near measly
Cite this Entry
“Measly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/measly. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share