puny

adjective

pu·​ny ˈpyü-nē 

punier; puniest

: slight or inferior in power, size, or importance : weak

punily

ˈpyü-nə-lē 

adverb

puniness

ˈpyü-nē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• bantam
• diminutive
• dinky
• dwarfish
• fine
• half-pint
• Lilliputian
• little
• pint-size
• pint-sized
• pocket
• pocket-size
• pocket-sized
• pygmy
• shrimpy
• slight
• small
• smallish
• subnormal
• toylike
• undersized
• undersize

Examples of puny in a Sentence

I wouldn't mess with him—he makes bodybuilders look puny in comparison.

We laughed at their puny attempt to trick us.

Recent Examples on the Web

Too puny to be observed with a backyard telescope, Jupiter’s dusty wreath remained undetected for a long time. —Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 May 2024

The Bay Area and California both added jobs in April, but the gains were puny and sketch a picture of an ominously feeble employment market, a new report shows. —George Avalos, The Mercury News, 17 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French puisné younger, weakly, literally, born afterward, from puis afterward + né born

First Known Use

circa 1577, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

puny

adjective

pu·​ny ˈpyü-nē 

punier; puniest

: slight or lesser in power, size, or importance : weak

puniness noun

Etymology

from early French puisné "younger," literally, "born afterward," from puis "afterward" and né "born"