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the hotel's shabby, outdated exercise room was its paltry attempt at a health spa
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
just some paltry ruse to bilk the system
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paltry
The Charlotte Hornets are now just 10 games away from the end of their regular season on April 12, which in recent seasons has meant that the crowds are paltry, the team is irrelevant and everyone is just ready to get the slog over with.
—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
But the frequency with which these scams are occurring — spurred by the ease of making and disseminating AI music — suggests scammers aren’t exactly deterred by paltry royalty payouts.
—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Forbes magazine reported that production costs for the latter film ballooned to more than $370 million, but its worldwide gross was a relatively paltry $206 million.
—
René Ostberg,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 Mar. 2026
The paltry paycheck, apparently, didn’t factor at all into her decision.
—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paltry
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
But the frequency with which these scams are occurring — spurred by the ease of making and disseminating AI music — suggests scammers aren’t exactly deterred by paltry royalty payouts.
—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Forbes magazine reported that production costs for the latter film ballooned to more than $370 million, but its worldwide gross was a relatively paltry $206 million.
—
René Ostberg,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 Mar. 2026
The paltry paycheck, apparently, didn’t factor at all into her decision.
—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paltry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paltry
Adjective
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Completing the hat trick in pitiful style, Taking on the World was shot on a shoestring budget, helmed by the man behind Highlander III, and forced to rely on stock footage of real-life footballers.
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Given the national team’s pitiful demise at the Oval, with New Zealand completing victory on the fifth morning, Ben Stokes’ revival in absentia feels like the only consolation from a miserable week.
Adjective
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In their grievance letter, the detainees called the markups an unacceptable business practice with no apparent limit.
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Overt racial prejudice, long considered socially unacceptable, is increasingly visible in public life, marking a shift from previously subtle forms.
Adjective
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Powerful, rich people filled the lawn to watch a violent sport that ended with a vile and racist comment.
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That person is referring to heavyweight Josh Hokit, who is facing widespread backlash for making a vile joke about former first lady Michelle Obama after winning his match over Derrick Lewis.
Adjective
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Los Angeles stretches its NL West lead to 11 games and maintains MLB’s best record as Ohtani’s star power turns Sacramento’s nominal home crowd into a roaring Dodgers road show.
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The model produces outputs within nominal parameters, but those outputs reflect market conditions that are seconds or minutes stale.
Adjective
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Stronger and more flavorful than in your original lame iteration?
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On paper, some of the six, all of whom are far-right conservatives, have enviable educational backgrounds, but the record has proven that each one is openly political and willing to rubber-stamp nearly all of DeSantis’ lame and unconstitutional policies.
Adjective
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Because of that, these hands suffer from high production costs, poor durability against impacts, short operational lifespans, and there are no existing solutions that engineers can readily draw upon, Wang added.
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The extreme heat can also affect people who are physically ill, especially those with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation.
Adjective
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Including some rather nasty, big corpo bullies who enlist specialist teams to hunt down clues, and other players, too.
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Betty Kovacs, the eldest daughter of comedian Ernie Kovacs who with her sister Kippie and stepmother, actress-singer Edie Adams, was at the center of a nasty custody battle that kept Hollywood riveted in 1962, has died.
Adjective
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There's a marginal risk of severe weather near the Twin Cities, with a slight risk in the central and northwestern part of the state.
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Man, to see that Curaçao player — in a moment that’s quite important to him, that is earned over so many years of effort — give a slight nod to the invisible man, that warms my heart and brings a smile to my face.
Cite this Entry
“Paltry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paltry. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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