stingy

adjective stin·gy \ ˈstin-jē \

Definition of stingy

stingier; stingiest

1 :not generous or liberal :sparing or scant in using, giving, or spending

stingy with the salt

stingy employee benefits

2 :meanly scanty or small

stingy portions of meat

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stingily

play \-jə-lē\ adverb

—

stinginess

play \-jē-nəs\ noun

See stingy defined for English-language learners

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Examples of stingy in a Sentence

The company was too stingy to raise salaries.
until his redemption, Ebenezer Scrooge is the classic example of a very stingy, heartless miser

Recent Examples of stingy from the Web

Second, the U.S. has become stingier toward Pakistan and has begun withholding military funding after claiming Pakistan has done little to clamp down on groups such as the Haqqani Network.

— nick wadhams, Bloomberg.com, "Pressuring Pakistan Seems Obvious But Isn’t Simple: QuickTake Q&A," 23 Aug. 2017
The Shamrocks allowed just 9.8 points per game last season, posting six shutouts, and could be just as stingy this year.

— jason frakes, The Courier-Journal, "High school football previews | Ballard, Eastern, J'town, Seneca, Trinity," 15 Aug. 2017
As a junior in his first varsity season, Weller anchored a stingy defense that allowed 16 goals in 22 games.

— michael osipoff, Post-Tribune, "Chesterton midfielder Sam Weller flourishes amid changes for state runner-up," 15 Aug. 2017
A stingy defense is often a young quarterback's best friend.

— adam baum, Cincinnati.com, "CHL football crown up for grabs again," 13 Aug. 2017
But Alabamians are a little stingier, according to Mattressclarity's survey.

— william thornton, AL.com, "How much would Alabamians pay for a good night's sleep?," 19 July 2017
Marlins Park is one of the stingiest ballparks in the majors in terms of allowing home runs.

— michelle kaufman, miamiherald, "Home Run Derby packs punch with Giancarlo Stanton vs. Aaron Judge," 9 July 2017
The Korean style short rib ($15) was long on earthy taste and supple tenderness, though slightly stingy on portion size.

— andrew marton, star-telegram, "Skillets Kitchen & Sports Bar gets a handle on healthier food," 5 July 2017
It was seen as a stingy policy, and the party has now scrapped the idea.

— alex morales, Bloomberg.com, "These Charts Show Why Brits Are Furious About Austerity," 5 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stingy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of stingy

perhaps from English dialect *stinge, noun, sting; akin to Old English stingan to sting

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1659

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stingy Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of stingy

stingy, close, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, miserly mean being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others. stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

- a stingy child, not given to sharing

close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions.

- folks who are very close when charity calls

niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

- the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

- a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

- the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

- a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

STINGY Defined for English Language Learners

stingy

adjective

Definition of stingy for English Language Learners

: not liking or wanting to give or spend money : not generous
: small in size or amount

STINGY Defined for Kids

stingy

adjective stin·gy \ ˈstin-jē \

Definition of stingy for Students

stingier; stingiest

1 :not generous

2 :very small in amount

a stingy portion

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stinginess

\-jē-nəs\ noun

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stingy

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