closefisted

adjective

ˈklōs-ˌfi-stəd How to pronounce closefisted (audio)
Definition of closefistednext
as in careful
giving or sharing as little as possible closefisted administrators objecting to legitimate office expenses

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for closefisted
  1. careful
  2. close
  3. tight
  4. selfish
  5. cheap
  6. greedy
  7. mean
  8. spare
Adjective
  • But the series is careful to cast suspicions in a multitude of directions, not merely at Michael but at several people in Sarah’s orbit who only reveal themselves when backed into corners.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 23 July 2026
  • Since pilot and crew remains may also still be buried underground, careful excavation work is even more important.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 23 July 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • The play was a no-call, but Clark took exception to the physicality and yelled at the closest official.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • The carrier is flying about 6,500 flights per day this year — nearly an entire Alaska Airlines more worth of travel more than its closest competitor, according to Cirium — yet American’s profit gap has grown.
    — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 19 July 2026
Definition of close
Adjective
  • Slots and gates are valuable in congested airports like LaGuardia because tight airspace restrictions and crowded airports in a big city like New York cap airline growth.
    — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 20 July 2026
  • Her tight smile squeezes tiny tears into the corners of her eyes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Definition of tight
Adjective
  • From childcare grants to casual local classes, new support systems can make moms feel stronger, not selfish.
    — Lynda Lin Grigsby, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
  • Nikki is critical of the latter, calling it selfish and cowardly.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of selfish
Adjective
  • The new buildings also provided cheaper housing options for Caracas workers who couldn’t afford to live in the city.
    — Syra Ortiz-Blanes, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
  • The Steamfitters were staging protests outside the Pfizer site, accusing the MetroLoft — which employs a mix of union and nonunion contractors — of building on the cheap and tolerating unsafe work conditions.
    — Andrew Rice, Curbed, 23 July 2026
Definition of cheap
Adjective
  • In Nolan’s telling, his deceit and plundering portend the collapse of the Bronze Age—a foreboding warning about greedy, fading empires that feels a little too relevant.
    — Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 July 2026
  • Several of my prior assumptions were upended right from the start of the piece—including the idea that the reclining wars are all just the greedy airlines’ fault.
    — Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 15 July 2026
Definition of greedy
Adjective
  • Readings from 0-50, or green on the index, mean air is generally good quality.
    — Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 19 July 2026
  • Tom Brady throws a mean spiral, hitting the target to send Rob Gronkowski into 500 gallons of Raising Cane’s Sauce on July 15 in New York City.
    — People Staff, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
Definition of mean
Adjective
  • For a retiree sharing a spare room or a parent listing their college student’s bedroom, hosting can mean the difference between staying in their home and losing it.
    — Nathan Blecharczyk, New York Daily News, 19 July 2026
  • Swatch said the gold used for the watches dates back to the same period and is derived from old Omega spare parts.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 17 July 2026
Definition of spare
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.

Browse Nearby Words

closed shops
closefisted
close-grained
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Cite this Entry

“Closefisted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closefisted. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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