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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Then the usually penurious Indians suddenly splurged.—
Chuck Murr,
Forbes.com,
19 Jan. 2026
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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
Adjective
-
No one wants to disappoint their child or be seen as ungenerous.—
Mandy Len Catron,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
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Unkindness and people being ungenerous.—
Maria Bamford,
Vulture,
26 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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But the parsimonious Lady Featherington (Polly Walker) gives Varly her old hideous yellow and green dresses instead of a raise (this is clearly the Regency-era equivalent of the office pizza party).—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
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The latter offers a more judicious form of clemency, but only on a parsimonious, individual basis.—
Bernadette Meyler,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Como had been neck-and-neck with Roma’s miserly backline before shipping four at Inter last Saturday, a chastening defeat that ended an unbeaten run stretching back to the end of August.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2025
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In this version, miserly Madame Eleanor is visited by the ghost former business partner Jacob Marley as well as a few other apparitions.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
26 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Freedom and rule of law were defended last night, but dictators will try to exploit this to rationalize their selfish objectives.—
Rachel Scott,
ABC News,
3 Jan. 2026
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Even though a lot of what happens in the book borders on the ridiculous because of the behavior of narcissistic selfish venal individuals.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The only way to get to that conclusion, however, is to make a lot of uncharitable assumptions about Kimmel’s thinking.—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
18 Sep. 2025
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That utilitarian descriptor may seem a bit uncharitable, but the fact is, the 2.0-liter, OHV inline-four is rugged, indefatigable and, making about 100 hp, sufficiently powerful to scoot the 2,100-pound roadster along at a nice pace.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The complaint that the Grammys are disrespectfully stingy with which awards get shown during the main event — this was the sticking point in a hip-hop artist boycott in 1989 — will probably hold true of achievements in dozens of genres tucked away in the pre-show.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
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But Blackwood was also sharp in net when needed, and the Avs were pretty stingy themselves away from the puck.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
29 Jan. 2026
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 31 Jan. 2026.
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