as in careful
giving or sharing as little as possible
the new CEO's penny-pinching ways have helped to keep the company out of bankruptcy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in saving
careful management of material resources
they'll have to practice some penny-pinching if they want to save for a house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in economy
the quality or practice of being overly sparing with money
reusing your tea bags is perhaps taking penny-pinching too far
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 penny-pinching
Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
Amid a tit-for-tat race to host Hollywood to boost their local economies, regions across the world like New York, New Jersey, the U.K. and Australia beckon to production executives increasingly turning to penny-pinching.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2025
For experienced leaders, saving money isn’t necessarily about penny-pinching, but rather about optimizing how and where resources are spent.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2025
While the Harry Potter star might have blown through a good chunk of his wealth, many other celebrities are penny-pinching during their career highs.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 24 June 2025
However, there’s a fine line between cost control and penny-pinching.
—Ben Tercha, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Noun
Everton have spent around £90million ($122m) so far this summer, a considerable departure from the days of penny-pinching towards the end of former owner Farhad Moshiri’s tenure.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
Amid a tit-for-tat race to host Hollywood to boost their local economies, regions across the world like New York, New Jersey, the U.K. and Australia beckon to production executives increasingly turning to penny-pinching.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2025
For experienced leaders, saving money isn’t necessarily about penny-pinching, but rather about optimizing how and where resources are spent.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2025
While the Harry Potter star might have blown through a good chunk of his wealth, many other celebrities are penny-pinching during their career highs.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 24 June 2025
However, there’s a fine line between cost control and penny-pinching.
—Ben Tercha, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penny-pinching
Adjective
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Step by careful step, Holbrook climbed, holding out bologna and cheese until two pairs of cautious eyes peeked back.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
But starting in 1970, Time and Date AS has tracked observance of daylight saving time in Kentucky every year.—
Chris Sims,
Louisville Courier Journal,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Daylight saving time always begins on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
As India opened its economy to the world in the 1990s, Khan opened its heart.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The model applies circular economy principles—reduce, reuse, and recycle—to chart a more sustainable path for China’s sand and gravel industry.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Delivering presents and spreading good cheer is not selfish Scott’s idea of a high calling, although the prospect of working only one day a year has its enticements.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Sometimes those selfish people create progress.—
Kevin Sintumuang,
Outside,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
And for employees of a public entity – like the Denver International Airport – there is a higher standard, an expectation of frugality.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The company cites a rise in frugality triggered by an uncertain economy, and the return to restoring vintage furniture and decor.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
While there have been many fine adaptations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Alastair Sim's performance as the miserly, penny-pinching Ebenezer Scrooge elevates this version to must-see status.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Depp will play the titular role of Ebenezer Scrooge, a misanthropic and miserly businessman in 19th century London who is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future in an effort to save himself from an afterlife of torment.—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Shoes & Accessories Landsberg says that items like shoes and accessories must pass their thrift store's standard of cleanliness before they're put out in the store.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
-
This particular thrift purchase wasn’t about profit, though.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
What once telegraphed cheapness now confers extreme value.—
The Editors,
Robb Report,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Recent cheapness in the muni market was driven by heavy issuance.—
Paul Malloy,
Fortune,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penny-pinching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penny-pinching. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share