PALTRY Synonyms: 334 Similar and Opposite Words

paltry

adjective

ˈpȯl-trē

Definition of paltry

as in pitiful

arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust a paltry, underhanded scheme to get someone fired

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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falling short of a standard the hotel's shabby, outdated exercise room was its paltry attempt at a health spa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

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

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

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 paltry There are many legitimate reasons to bash Becerra, from his refusal to participate in more debates to his paltry number of public rallies to a platform that sounds like more of what created California’s current woes. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 The country is mired in a war with Iran with no graceful exit opportunities; a new round of tariffs threatens to further disrupt fragile global trade relations; and the domestic economy faces inflation combined with paltry growth. — Zachary Karabell, Washington Post, 21 Aug. 2026 Criston Cole has a paltry force and one the Riverlanders loyal to Rhaenyra and Daemon should have no trouble with. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026 On the other side, despite shooting a paltry 4-of-9 from the field, Angel Reese still managed to secure a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for paltry

Recent Examples of Synonyms for paltry

Adjective

Nvidia is the pitiful, helpless giant, now revealed, according to the bears, to have just propped up an ecosystem for its own earnings, with a CEO now revealed to be a dubious character.

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026
Yet Scudder, a progressive thirty-six-year-old real-estate analyst raised by lesbians on a purple-hull-pea farm in East Texas, assumed the post in 2025, and has been in a rush to reverse his party’s pitiful showings.

— Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of pitiful

Adjective

While this milestone drew headlines, nominal dollar numbers are the wrong metric to focus on in connection with fiscal matters.

— Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2026
Deflation and weak corporate profitability are already eroding China’s fiscal revenues, which have basically been flat in nominal terms since 2019.

— Oliver Melton, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of nominal

Adjective

The lame-duck Senate has 22 legislative days scheduled before the new Congress is sworn in.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2026
Trump was trounced, the country triumphed, and the long national nightmare is over, but for the rest of his lame-duck presidency.

— Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of lame

Adjective

Nearby residents have argued that the large apartment complex will be a poor fit for their neighborhood, citing concerns about traffic congestion and fire department access, among other things.

— Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
The Lions’ high-flying offense is at its best on turf, not nearly as fast on grass, and their poor red zone defense has been an issue.

— Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of poor

Adjective

Surely, though, it is not lost on the audience that this play opens in the middle of a strikingly nasty political campaign to elect members of the Chicago school board, warring Democrats all.

— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
Someone who hung up on your problem is unlikely to listen to a nasty critique and vow to reform.

— Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of nasty

Adjective

Davis held a slight lead Wednesday, and the race between Murphy and Democratic challenger Raymond Smith was particularly close.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Nov. 2026
The slight gap between the two candidates doesn’t bode well for Bass, since Raman is expected to secure a larger portion of the late-arriving ballots in the coming days.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of slight

Browse Nearby Words

paltriness

paltry

pampa

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“Paltry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paltry. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of paltry

adjective

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