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

• small
• diminutive
• little
• tiny
• pocket

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

The traditional interpretation of Pegasus is a horse flying upside down with puny little wings. —Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025

That’s in part, because the odds appear to be long for oxygenic photosynthesis arising on a planet circling a puny red dwarf. —Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

His splendid defense never wavered, but Harris was statistically the worst lineup regular in the majors this season through the All-Star break, batting .210 with a puny .551 OPS in 93 games. —David O'Brien, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025

Per Nielsen, broadcast channels accounted for a puny 4.1 percent of all TV viewing among viewers aged 6-17, while cable (remember that?) wasn’t much better, with a 6.1 percent share. —Josef Adalian, Vulture, 31 July 2025

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"