Definition of parsimoniousnext

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

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 parsimonious California voters acted with urgency, but implementation efforts have been met with petulance and parsimonious budgetary support that is barely one fourth of what is needed. Steve Smith, Oc Register, 18 Nov. 2025 Chelsea are famously parsimonious in the transfer market, after all. Phil Hay, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025 The previous generation was a ‘tweener, with a parsimonious rear seat and cargo compartment. Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 30 Apr. 2025 If the physical action is doled out in parsimonious bites, the verbal action is an extravagant feast of double helpings. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for parsimonious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parsimonious
Adjective
  • Como had been neck-and-neck with Roma’s miserly backline before shipping four at Inter last Saturday, a chastening defeat that ended an unbeaten run stretching back to the end of August.
    Jack Bantock, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
  • In this version, miserly Madame Eleanor is visited by the ghost former business partner Jacob Marley as well as a few other apparitions.
    Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 26 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The cub’s selfish decisions lead to the tree laying itself across a chasm to save its surrogate child.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
  • People forget that being an athlete is selfish.
    Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Each is still saying the other has unrealistic and greedy demands.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Marquee recruits in Ohio and North Carolina all but cleared the field, New Hampshire and Illinois seem settled, and the fact Democrats are looking with greedy ambition at Alaska shows how underwater the Republican brand is with voters.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Every year, a complacent, tightfisted city council turned down the recommendations.
    Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023
  • Kotick played the tightfisted owner of the Oakland A’s.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 31 May 2023
Adjective
  • The elevator, though fully operational, is comically small—tight even for guests with robust suitcases.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
  • With Washington already debating tighter restrictions on exporting AI chips and cloud services to China, Anthropic’s allegations are likely to feed calls for new guardrails—while giving critics one more chance to note the uncomfortable symmetry at the heart of modern AI.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • O’Leary’s task is to make a stingy defense for the past two seasons even stingier.
    Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Darnold has All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and running back Kenneth Walker, and the Seahawks defense is the stingiest in the league.
    Rob Maaddi, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • There’s an ungenerous and shallow way to look at this film as little more than a highlight reel of Hammer’s work, a paltry substitute for actually spending meaningful time with the work itself.
    Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
  • Stars and billionaires are calling out the super-rich for being ungenerous As the world mints hundreds of thousands of millionaires yearly and billionaire wealth soars to record highs, some leaders can’t stand to stay quiet.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • There’s a cast of wanderers, visionaries, and itinerants, the self-educated and self-published, a long lineage of cranks and outcasts, mostly penurious, always opinionated, stretching away into the mists of pseudohistory.
    Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Then the usually penurious Indians suddenly splurged.
    Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Parsimonious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parsimonious. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on parsimonious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster