puny

adjective

pu·​ny ˈpyü-nē How to pronounce puny (audio)
punier; puniest
: slight or inferior in power, size, or importance : weak
punily adverb
puniness noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Notably, the same people embrace the punier roster of celebrities who occupy the MAGA column with open arms, never mind the cognitive dissonance involved in accepting Ted Nugent’s political acumen while dismissing his peers. Brian Lowry, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024 Longer Term Economics Look Dubious CCS in 2020 stored a puny 40 Mt/year (Mega-ton or millions of tons per year). Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024 There’s no shame in dying as a puny counselor, hopelessly unmatched by a supernatural serial killer. A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 13 Sep. 2024 Too much fruit saps a tree’s energy and leaves you with a lot of puny lemons instead of a few big, healthy ones. Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for puny 

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

circa 1577, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of puny was circa 1577

Dictionary Entries Near puny

Cite this Entry

“Puny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puny. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

puny

adjective
pu·​ny ˈpyü-nē How to pronounce puny (audio)
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 "born"

More from Merriam-Webster on puny

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!