MEASLY Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

measly

adjective

ˈmēz-lē

Definition of measly

as in nominal

so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention offered her guest only one measly cookie

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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.

Recent Examples of measly While sunny Florida gets a measly 11% of its energy from solar and wind, which are now our cheapest sources of electricity, Texas is getting more than 30% of its energy from those sources. — David Jenkins, Sun Sentinel, 26 May 2026 One bag serves three hearty portions, or four measly ones. — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Apr. 2026 It can’t be helped that the foundation barely organized a study and sent one measly addiction specialist to the region. — Chicago Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026 Over the first five minutes, Texas went 2-for-5 from the field with two turnovers while mustering a measly four points. — Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for measly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for measly

Adjective

Municipal compost operations tend only to accept leaves generated by that town and may also provide small quantities of finished compost to residents for free or at a nominal charge, according to DEEP.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Assuming interest rates of 4% to 5%, Swagel estimated that nominal GDP growth would have to reach 7%-8%, and real GDP growth would have to hit 5%-6% in order to stabilize the debt.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of nominal

Adjective

The two remained locked in a tight race as early voting nears with Talarico having a slight edge in most polls.

— Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
The bodice of the top was a crisp white, while the sleeves were cast in vibrant yellow, a slight nod to the bold color trend for the season.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of slight

Adjective

Commonly associated with environmental risk factors such as smoking or exposure to hazards like radon, the rare but aggressively fast-growing condition gets its name from the unusually tiny appearance of its cells.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
These tiny architects of the deep sea actively regulate microbial populations.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of tiny

Adjective

The subdued crowd in Chavez Ravine was often drowned out by the paltry number of Brewers fans in attendance.

— Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
There are many legitimate reasons to bash Becerra, from his refusal to participate in more debates to his paltry number of public rallies to a platform that sounds like more of what created California’s current woes.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of paltry

Browse Nearby Words

meant

measly

measurable

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“Measly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/measly. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of measly

adjective

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