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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Recent Examples of measly
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
Tesla’s European loss leaders include Norway, where sales dropped an astonishing 93 percent in two years, from 1,108 units in January 2024 to a measly 83 in January of this year.
—Joe Wilkins Published Feb 18, Futurism, 18 Feb. 2026
The real, or inflation-adjusted, increase was a measly 2% during his term — less than half a percent per year.
—Peter St. Onge, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
The answer ultimately lies in the inverted pyramid’s layout, a bright red steak and giant stick of butter prominently featured above a measly sliver of whole grains.
—Tania Fabo, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for measly
Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 3 Apr. 2026
Tesla’s European loss leaders include Norway, where sales dropped an astonishing 93 percent in two years, from 1,108 units in January 2024 to a measly 83 in January of this year.
—Joe Wilkins Published Feb 18, Futurism, 18 Feb. 2026
The real, or inflation-adjusted, increase was a measly 2% during his term — less than half a percent per year.
—Peter St. Onge, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
The answer ultimately lies in the inverted pyramid’s layout, a bright red steak and giant stick of butter prominently featured above a measly sliver of whole grains.
—Tania Fabo, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for measly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for measly
Adjective
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The Tyumen refinery, one of the country's most modern and complex, has a nominal capacity of around 8 million metric tons per year.—
Ron Popeski,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
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Self-park options are available for overnight guests for a nominal fee, and the hotel is dog-friendly (no additional fee).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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The Emmys’ producers passing up on even the slightest possibility of a Werner Herzog acceptance speech is sheer lunacy.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
20 June 2026
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The team has improved so much that its 1-1 draw against powerhouse Brazil was a slight disappointment.—
David Brandt,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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The tiny female hippo is already drawing comparisons to the beloved Moo Deng, the Thai baby pygmy hippo who became a global sensation in 2024.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
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Hopefully, this will help determine whether they’re sparked by an eruption from a single neutron star, or when two of these tiny but massive bodies collide.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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The budget is slightly smaller than the current one, sets aside $14 billion in reserves and contains a paltry menu of tax cuts worth $146 million.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
28 May 2026
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The free-agent market is paltry at best, so Guerin will likely have to make his mark via trade.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Measly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/measly. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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