measly

play

adjective mea·sly \ ˈmēz-lē , ˈmē-zə- \

Definition of measly

measlier; measliest

1 :infected with measles

2 a :containing larval tapeworms

b :infested with trichinae

3 :contemptibly small

See measly defined for English-language learners

See measly defined for kids

Examples of measly in a Sentence

She complained about being given such a measly raise.
All I want is a few measly minutes of your time.

Recent Examples of measly from the Web

The orange hue from streetlights across the San Gabriel Valley helped illuminate what our measly flashlight couldn’t.

— maximiliano hernandez-zapata, latimes.com, "Before I left for school back East, she sent me a text: She just wanted to be friends," 19 Aug. 2017
Test Results: Lift-Over Height View 0 Photos Interior Cubby Storage The center console holds a measly 22 ping-pong balls, the least of this set and barely enough space to store a cellphone.

— alex conley, Car and Driver, "2017 BMW 2-series," 11 Aug. 2017
Measuring just 20 miles wide, MU69 appeared to be a measly speck in the sky.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "New Horizon’s Next Target Is an Oddly Shaped Asteroid," 10 Aug. 2017
Their hair was burnt down to a few measly centimeters from the scalp.

— TIME.com, "Survivors of the Atomic Blasts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki share their stories," 6 Aug. 2017
Rafter, like the great Sampras, did reach number one in the rankings -- but only for one measly week.

— OregonLive.com, "11 champions who are in the International Tennis Hall of Fame but don't belong there," 27 June 2017
When purchased, the 1920 home was falling apart and cost a measly $28,000.

— lauren smith, House Beautiful, "The Shotgun House From "Fixer Upper" Now Costs Almost $1 Million," 22 June 2017
The Golden Knights also got a bargain-basement 30-goal scorer in Jonathan Marchessault and acquired 26-year-old winger Reilly Smith and his $25 million, five-year contract from Florida for the measly price of a 2018 fourth-round pick.

— stephen whyno, The Seattle Times, "Expansion Vegas loads up on D-men, could make more trades," 21 June 2017
Flashback, His Warren Beatty has spent three-quarters of his life as a movie star, one measly quarter as a mere mortal.

— lili anolik, VanityFair.com, "Warren Beatty, Pauline Kael, and an Epic Hollywood Mistake," 19 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'measly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of measly

1598

measly Synonyms

Synonyms

chicken, de minimis, footling, inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, negligible, Mickey Mouse, minute, niggling, no-account, nominal, paltry, peanut, petty, picayune, piddling, piddly, piffling, pimping, slight, trifling, trivial

Antonyms

big, consequential, considerable, important, material, significant

Related Words

inferior, mean; imperceptible, inappreciable; little, puny, tiny; hairsplitting, nitpicking, pettifogging, quibbling; one-horse, small-fry, two-bit

Near Antonyms

serious, substantial, weighty; eventful, momentous, pivotal; conspicuous, noteworthy, outstanding, prominent, remarkable, striking; appreciable, discernible (also discernable), measurable

MEASLY Defined for English Language Learners

measly

play

adjective

Definition of measly for English Language Learners

: very small or too small in size or amount

MEASLY Defined for Kids

measly

play

adjective mea·sly \ ˈmēz-lē \

Definition of measly for Students

measlier; measliest

:so small or unimportant as to be rejected with scorn They left a measly tip for the waiter.

Medical Dictionary

measly

play

adjective mea·sly \ ˈmēz-(ə-)lē \

medical Definition of measly

measlier; measliest

1 :infected with measles

2 a :containing larval tapeworms

b :infected with trichinae

Learn More about measly

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for measly Spanish Central: Translation of measly Nglish: Translation of measly for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up measly? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

measly

Definition of measly

Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd

Examples of measly in a Sentence

Recent Examples of measly from the Web

First Known Use of measly

measly Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

MEASLY Defined for English Language Learners

measly

Definition of measly for English Language Learners

MEASLY Defined for Kids

measly

Definition of measly for Students

Medical Dictionary

measly

medical Definition of measly

Learn More about measly

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

'So Long': A Common But Mysterious Goodbye

9 Slang Words With Academic Origins

Trending: 'Bodega' Startup Draws Criticism, Mockery

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

Words of the Year: 1066