as in penurious
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Recent Examples of costive
In fact, their writings are more pungent now that they have been liberated from the costive confines of the movement.
—
Jacob Heilbrunn, The New Republic, 23 Jan. 2020
Movies coiled up in other movies have a habit of becoming either costive or cute, but somehow Falardeau avoids the traps.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 May 2017
Jacob Heilbrunn, The New Republic, 23 Jan. 2020
Movies coiled up in other movies have a habit of becoming either costive or cute, but somehow Falardeau avoids the traps.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for costive
Adjective
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But both are gone because neither could make magic of Sherman’s low-spending model that still includes the most penurious payroll in MLB in 2025.—
Greg Cote
July 16,
Miami Herald,
16 July 2025
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Even so, the general picture of a mother’s absence and a daughter’s understandable resentment at having had to pick up the maternal slack in penurious conditions comes through loud and clear.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Sep. 2024
Adjective
-
At least with Derrick, the shallowness seems intentional, if ungenerous.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
13 June 2025
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But, even though there was nothing the slightest bit ungracious or ungenerous about her performance, it was felt more like the audience being asked to come to her.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Chelsea are famously parsimonious in the transfer market, after all.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Wimpy was a mild-mannered, soft-spoken, lazy, parsimonious, and utterly gluttonous hamburger-wolfing straight man to Popeye.—
Richard Lederer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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McKim, Mead & White quickly became the place for aspiring young architects, who avidly sought jobs there despite miserly salaries.—
Henry Wiencek
July 22,
Literary Hub,
22 July 2025
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The miserly email account offerings are particularly limiting for larger ventures, and unusual for the category which typically offers unlimited email.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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Saying no is not about being selfish.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Roup wants moms to be a little more selfish.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
An uncharitable strike zone led to a pair of walks, and Yoan Moncada punched a single to double the early advantage against him.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
12 Aug. 2025
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Many of them uncharitable and nasty, some of them vulgar and unprintable.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Though stingy, the Bengal Tigers have scored only 40 points in wins over Clemson (17-10) and Louisiana Tech (23-7).—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Arizona opened the season with a dominant 40–6 win over Hawai'i, powered by a strong ground attack and a stingy defense.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Every year, a complacent, tightfisted city council turned down the recommendations.—
Margaret Talbot,
The New Yorker,
2 Oct. 2023
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Kotick played the tightfisted owner of the Oakland A’s.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
31 May 2023
Cite this Entry
“Costive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/costive. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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