Synonym Chooser

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

Example 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 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 The miserly email account offerings are particularly limiting for larger ventures, and unusual for the category which typically offers unlimited email. PC Magazine, 16 June 2025 But the approval process has been slow, the discounts vary from carrier to carrier, the requirements coming from insurers don’t always match the state’s own standards and the savings on offer are, according to some, miserly. Calmatters, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2025 The Athletics, despite their miserly ways, have a strong foundation of young players — Silver Slugger Brent Rooker, Lawrence Butler, Jacob Wilson, JJ Bleday, Shea Langeliers, Zack Gelof, and this year’s #4 pick in the draft, Nick Kurtz. Dan Freedman, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for miserly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miserly
Adjective
  • How selfish of Fred Warner, goodness gracious.
    Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 20 Oct. 2025
  • This is plainly and simply a selfish decision on his part.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • This careful tiptoeing is probably because the scissor artwork was never meant to be sold at a wider scale.
    Samantha Allen, Them., 24 Oct. 2025
  • Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Bobrovsky has been even stingier during Florida’s recent run to back-to-back titles, notching five shutouts over his past six playoff series.
    Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Cumdumpster, by contrast, was brusque, peremptory, and stingy with his scores, as if I’d been put on earth to curate pornography for him.
    Daniel Kolitz, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Because even in a world of monsters, ghouls, and greedy jerks, the good guys still prevail.
    Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Both love rich, moist soil and neither one is greedy with space in the garden.
    Heather Bien, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • Every year, a complacent, tightfisted city council turned down the recommendations.
    Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023
  • Kotick played the tightfisted owner of the Oakland A’s.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 31 May 2023
Adjective
  • At least with Derrick, the shallowness seems intentional, if ungenerous.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
  • 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
  • Other surveys suggest a much tighter race.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Heat therapy is most beneficial for pain caused by tight or stiff muscles.
    RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan, Health, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Miserly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miserly. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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