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 of puny

• small
• diminutive
• little
• tiny

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

Hurricane Andrew — the lethal 1992 storm that almost always gets invoked as a cautionary tale — struck during a relatively quiet year and though fierce, was puny by comparison. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 3 June 2026

But as avid swimmers, we were disappointed with the puny indoor pool, which couldn’t have been more than 10 meters long. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

On paper, Baltimore’s geographic and institutional advantages make Austin look puny. —Julian Baron, Baltimore Sun, 28 May 2026

Tesla’s generating puny and declining returns on the plants, inventories and other assets now on its books. —Shawn Tully, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026

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

Rhymes for puny

• looney
• loony
• mooney
• muni
• nguni
• sunni

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"