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

Launching as soon as 2035, LISA could sense waves from much more massive mergers of supermassive black holes rather than the waves from puny 50-stellar-mass black holes that are within LIGO’s purview. —Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026

For weeks voter polls have found that three Democrats are locked in a tie, albeit at a puny level, around 10%, while the other five Democrats are buried in single digits. —Dan Walters, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026

Brinkman warns that Tesla risks earning puny returns on all the new capital piling on its balance sheet. —Shawn Tully, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026

And unlike most electrics that try their best to look the part but offer relatively puny power figures, the STRiX boasts impressive horsepower figures in addition to the high torque that comes as a byproduct of electric motors. —New Atlas, 25 Mar. 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"