miser

noun

mi·​ser ˈmī-zər 

: a mean grasping person

… a miser cackling over unexpected treasure …

—R. T. Peterson

especially : one who is extremely stingy with money

a miser who inherited a fortune but lives in a shack

Synonyms of miser

• hunks
• skinflint
• tightwad
• cheapskate

Examples of miser in a Sentence

the miser liked to sit and play with his money

Recent Examples on the Web

But great writers and great mathematicians were able to overcome their inner cognitive miser and use these new technologies to great effect. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

Johnny Depp looks unrecognizable in full costume as the Christmas Carol miser to promote his upcoming film Ebenezer at San Diego Comic-Con on July 23. — People Staff, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026

Equally vital, aging misers addicted to their vocations need palliatives and surrogates for the drug of importance. — Literary Hub, 18 June 2026

Francesca Fiorentini, a comedian and podcaster, compared Steyer to Charles Dickens’ fictional miser Ebenezer Scrooge. — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin miser miserable

First Known Use

circa 1560, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for miser

• geyser
• riser
• sizer
• visor
• wiser
• advertiser
• analyser
• analyzer
• appetizer
• atomizer
• breathalyzer
• colonizer

Kids Definition

miser

noun

mi·​ser ˈmī-zər 

: a mean grasping person

especially : one who lives poorly in order to store away money