stingy

adjective

stin·​gy ˈstin-jē 

stingier; stingiest

1

: not generous or liberal : sparing or scant in using, giving, or spending

a stingy old miser

stingy with the salt

stingy employee benefits

2

: meanly scanty or small

served up stingy portions

stingily

ˈstin-jə-lē 

adverb

stinginess

ˈstin-jē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of stingy

• miserly
• selfish
• greedy
• tightfisted
• parsimonious
• tight
• ungenerous
• cheap
• close
• pinching
• penurious
• mean
• chintzy
• careful
• uncharitable
• desirous

Choose the Right Synonym for stingy

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 stingy in a Sentence

The company was too stingy to raise salaries.

until his redemption, Ebenezer Scrooge is the classic example of a very stingy, heartless miser

Recent Examples on the Web

Optimism bias could lead people to agree to unfavorable terms, as in the case of a woman who signed an especially stingy prenup. —Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025

On the other end, Stanford’s stingy defense held the Ducks to making just 9-of-27 shots. —Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2025

Even with the league’s best record, most dynamic offense and stingiest defense, Bednar is correct. —Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 21 Dec. 2025

This was supposed to be a game between two of the stingiest defensive teams in the country. —Janis Carr, Oc Register, 20 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from English dialect *stinge, noun, sting; akin to Old English stingan to sting

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stingy

• dingy

Kids Definition

stingy

adjective

stin·​gy ˈstin-jē 

stingier; stingiest

1

: not generous : giving, using, or spending as little as possible

2

: scanty, meager

a stingy portion

stingily

-jə-lē 

adverb

stinginess

-jē-nəs 

noun