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niggardly

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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective niggardly contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of niggardly are close, miserly, parsimonious, penurious, and stingy. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

When can close be used instead of niggardly?

Although the words close and niggardly 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 miserly instead of niggardly?

The meanings of miserly and niggardly largely overlap; however, miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

Where would parsimonious be a reasonable alternative to niggardly?

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

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

When could penurious be used to replace niggardly?

While in some cases nearly identical to niggardly, penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

When would stingy be a good substitute for niggardly?

The words stingy and niggardly can be used in similar contexts, but 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 niggardly
Adjective
Many Chileans are angry about the country’s unequal distribution of wealth and power, about niggardly pensions (for which people are supposed to save themselves) and about long waiting times for doctors’ visits and poor schools. The Economist, 25 Dec. 2019 To tap one of the country’s two largest and most niggardly mines is hard enough. The Economist, 3 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for niggardly
Adjective
  • 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
  • Newcastle's player sale profits were miserly for years until June 2024 Profit on player sales from 2014 to 2024 (£millions) Column chart of Newcastle United profit on player sales, where club record £69.8m in 2023-24 far outweigh what came before.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • These alliances are particularly beneficial for smaller organizations that stand to gain from pooled resources or those in regions where talent is scarce but demand for specialized staff is high.
    Randy Wong, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
  • Ahead of Pink Elephant, the Montreal collective known for its insistent politics and uplifting lyricism was scarce and guarded in its direct communications.
    Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • Watch out for slippery roads: Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins.
    Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 25 May 2025
  • Many participants with conflicting ideologies also reported cohabiting peacefully for the most part, while being careful not to bring up divisive topics and focus on their similarities instead.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
Adjective
  • The Spa The Recovery Lab feels more like a doctor’s office than a traditional spa, with sparse white walls and minimal decor.
    Siobhan Reid, Travel + Leisure, 22 May 2025
  • But turnout at Wednesday’s sessions was sparse; at faculty and student forums, more than half of the seats were empty.
    Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Their penalty kill is stingy in their own zone and disruptive enough to generate some chances.
    Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 22 May 2025
  • Safe to say that synergy has come to flourish between Veach and Spagnuolo, whose defenses have significantly outperformed the Chiefs’ vaunted offense the last two seasons and have been among the NFL’s 10 stingiest units in five of Spagnuolo’s six seasons.
    Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • Driving the reluctant interviewee to the Manchester airport for the flight to Washington, Rudman discovered that his famously parsimonious friend had only $3 in his wallet.
    Barbara A. Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
  • But the iPhone 17 Air’s parsimonious speaker holes might suggest a phone with less capable audio.
    David Phelan, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Ultraman of the comics would need a whole lot of convincing to help A.R.G.U.S. or anyone else to work for something other than his own selfish designs; not to mention doing it while hiding his identity.
    Michileen Martin, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
  • What Pete Rose did was selfish, illicit, shameful, crooked.
    John Nogowski, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2025
Adjective
  • Among the close friends and family celebrating were Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban.
    Rachel Flynn, People.com, 24 May 2025
  • After the close, discount retailer Miniso Group (9896 HK, MSO US) missed Q1 estimates while online travel agency Tongcheng (780 HK) beat analyst expectations for Q1.
    Brendan Ahern, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Niggardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/niggardly. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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