Synonyms of parsimonious

parsimonious

adjective

ˌpär-sə-ˈmō-nē-əs 

as in miserly

giving or sharing as little as possible

a parsimonious woman who insists that charity begins—and ends—at home

Synonyms & Similar Words

• miserly
• selfish
• greedy
• tightfisted
• tight
• stingy
• ungenerous
• penurious
• cheap
• close
• economical
• uncharitable
• mean
• sparing
• careful
• chintzy
• desirous
• penny-pinching
• pinching
• spare
• mingy
• conserving
• thrifty
• frugal
• small
• stinting
• pinchpenny
• economizing
• saving
• avaricious
• chary
• closefisted
• acquisitive
• covetous
• mercenary
• rapacious
• shabby
• sordid
• avid
• grudging
• hoggish
• grasping
• envious
• resentful
• begrudging
• itchy
• scrimping
• skimping
• inhospitable
• coveting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• generous
• liberal
• charitable
• munificent
• bountiful
• bounteous
• altruistic
• unsparing
• unstinting
• openhanded
• unselfish
• extravagant
• selfless
• handsome
• lavish
• free
• benevolent
• hospitable
• overgenerous
• profuse
• philanthropic
• beneficent
• magnanimous
• humanitarian
• freehanded
• compassionate
• kindly
• wasteful
• profligate
• openhearted
• spendthrift
• unthrifty
• prodigal
• wasting
• good-hearted
• thriftless
• greathearted
• dissipating
• squandering
• frittering
• splurging

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective parsimonious contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of parsimonious are close, miserly, niggardly, penurious, and stingy. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

When could close be used to replace parsimonious?

While in some cases nearly identical to parsimonious, 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 parsimonious?

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

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

Where would niggardly be a reasonable alternative to parsimonious?

While the synonyms niggardly and parsimonious are close in meaning, niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

When would penurious be a good substitute for parsimonious?

The words penurious and parsimonious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

In what contexts can stingy take the place of parsimonious?

In some situations, the words stingy and parsimonious are roughly equivalent. However, stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of parsimonious

The latter offers a more judicious form of clemency, but only on a parsimonious, individual basis. —Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026

But German defense outlays were notoriously parsimonious, and fast growth seemed improbable. —Gerry Doyle, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026

The eye, though, is much more parsimonious, focusing its attention only on a small part of the visual scene at any one time—namely, the part of the scene that changes, like the fluttering of a leaf or a golf ball splashing into water. —Christoph Posch, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Nov. 2025

Chelsea are famously parsimonious in the transfer market, after all. —Phil Hay, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025

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