MISERLY Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'miserly' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of miserly are close , niggardly , parsimonious , penurious , and stingy . While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding. // a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

Q: When can 'close' be used instead of 'miserly'?

Although the words close and miserly have much in common, close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions. // folks who are very close when charity calls

Q: When is it sensible to use 'niggardly' instead of 'miserly'?

While the synonyms niggardly and miserly are close in meaning, niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible. // the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

Q: Where would 'parsimonious' be a reasonable alternative to 'miserly'?

The synonyms parsimonious and miserly are sometimes interchangeable, but parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess. // a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

Q: When would 'penurious' be a good substitute for 'miserly'?

The words penurious and miserly can be used in similar contexts, but penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty. // the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

Q: When is 'stingy' a more appropriate choice than 'miserly'?

While in some cases nearly identical to miserly , stingy implies a marked lack of generosity. // a stingy child, not given to sharing

miserly

adjective

ˈmī-zər-lē

Definition of miserly next

as in selfish

giving or sharing as little as possible my brother, who is notoriously miserly, surprised us when he offered to pick up the tab

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How does the adjective miserly contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of miserly are close, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, and stingy. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

When can close be used instead of miserly?

Although the words close and miserly have much in common, close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions.

folks who are very close when charity calls

When is it sensible to use niggardly instead of miserly?

While the synonyms niggardly and miserly are close in meaning, niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

Where would parsimonious be a reasonable alternative to miserly?

The synonyms parsimonious and miserly are sometimes interchangeable, but parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

When would penurious be a good substitute for miserly?

The words penurious and miserly can be used in similar contexts, but penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

When is stingy a more appropriate choice than miserly?

While in some cases nearly identical to miserly, stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

Examples Sentences

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 miserly Sneak-peek images of the one-time-only giveaway souvenirs had quickly been met with ridicule online for their ultra-minimalist design — seen by some as one last miserly indignity directed at a loyal fanbase. —

Laurence Miedema, The Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2024 This time, the hull (again with aluminum caps) reached the equivalent of 4,500 meters before imploding, giving it a miserly 1.18 safety factor for any dives to Titanic depths. —

Mark Harris, WIRED, 11 June 2024 Arizona should be ashamed of our miserly funding of schools. —

Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 12 July 2024 In 2023-24, his miserly numbers went from a 2.23 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage in the regular season (25-8-0 record) to an even stingier 1.68 GAA and .931 saves mark in the postseason. —

Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 3 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for miserly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for miserly

Adjective

Hill went rogue and selfish, again, by cryptically hinting a coach pulled him out of the game due to his left wrist injury.

Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2025
But while his months of legal delaying actions enabled Trump to prevent the government from holding him legally responsible for his acts, Trump cannot escape moral responsibility for what may have been history’s singularly most selfish effort to flout the rules of American democracy.

Carl Leubsdorf, The Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2025