1
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
a paltry, underhanded scheme to get someone fired
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
the hotel's shabby, outdated exercise room was its paltry attempt at a health spa
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3
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
just some paltry ruse to bilk the system
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4
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
wanted me to sell him my old records for a paltry sum
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paltry
The historic vote came as roughly 55,000 county workers entered the first full day of a two-day strike, accusing the county of slow-rolling contract negotiations and bringing paltry offers to the bargaining table.
—
Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
The Las Vegas Raiders are attempting to right the ship after the team posted a paltry 4-13 record in 2024.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Rather than lottery riches, the check is for a paltry $700.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
Most of their engine sizes were back in the 300 cubic inch range, and even the 454 V8 still available in the Chevelle was rated at a paltry 235 horsepower.
—Karl Brauer, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paltry
Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
The Las Vegas Raiders are attempting to right the ship after the team posted a paltry 4-13 record in 2024.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Rather than lottery riches, the check is for a paltry $700.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
Most of their engine sizes were back in the 300 cubic inch range, and even the 454 V8 still available in the Chevelle was rated at a paltry 235 horsepower.
—Karl Brauer, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paltry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paltry
Adjective
-
But the rates were pitiful: $9.87 for a 13-mile trip, $19.97 for a 25-mile trip and so on.—
Eli Tan,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
-
Israel’s performance in climate mitigation, moving to renewable energies, is pitiful — just 12% when some countries are 70%.—
JTA Staff Report,
Sun Sentinel,
5 May 2025
Adjective
-
All these attacks are unacceptable, and this isn't just an American problem.—
Mandalit del Barco,
NPR,
13 May 2025
-
That should be unacceptable to American negotiators.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2025
Adjective
-
Twain’s early writing and private letters and diaries contain vile language and sentiments.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
9 May 2025
-
The Imperial City Sewers you’re meant to traverse while learning the basics of the game look hideous and vile.—
Jamal Michel,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Here’s why: Although technical specifications are still being worked out, the new standard could deliver nominal peak data rates of more than 40Gbps.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
20 May 2025
-
The main question of contemporary cinema isn’t (pace the nominal avant-garde) whether to tell a story but what story to tell, how to tell it, and, for that matter, what a story is.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
-
My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
-
Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 23 points and OG Anunoby bounced back from two poor performances by scoring 20 for the Knicks, who can win the series Wednesday night at Boston.—
Brian Mahoney,
Baltimore Sun,
13 May 2025
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This results in a very poor Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 232.7% (against 21.5% for the S&P 500).—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
Adjective
-
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was brilliant (35 points), and the Thunder defense was nasty.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
-
But Laxe’s cadence of death is nasty and arbitrary and delightful.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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President Donald Trump has enjoyed a slight uptick in favorability, according to a series of mid-May polls compiled by political analyst and statistician Nate Silver.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
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However, at some point while walking the red carpet on Saturday, May 17, the two got mixed up in slight blunder when the Twilight star, 39, ended up standing on top of his costar's elegant Dior gown that, according to Vogue, took 250 hours to create.—
Michelle Lee,
People.com,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paltry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paltry. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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