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
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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
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Recent Examples of penny-pinching
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
Some of these treats date as far back as the 1700s, while others were developed during the penny-pinching of the Great Depression or the liveliness of the 1950s.
—Mack Swenson, Southern Living, 4 Dec. 2025
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
The result: No more penny-pinching, forget about getting a penny for your thoughts, and Ben Franklin's quote about a penny saved being a penny earned may confuse future generations.
—Maya Bell, jsonline.com, 30 May 2025
Noun
But for now, penny-pinching can be accomplished with relatively inconsequential basketball moves.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
Some of these treats date as far back as the 1700s, while others were developed during the penny-pinching of the Great Depression or the liveliness of the 1950s.
—Mack Swenson, Southern Living, 4 Dec. 2025
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
The result: No more penny-pinching, forget about getting a penny for your thoughts, and Ben Franklin's quote about a penny saved being a penny earned may confuse future generations.
—Maya Bell, jsonline.com, 30 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penny-pinching
Adjective
-
Stirring frequently, cook until garlic is a deep golden brown, being careful not to burn it, about 5 minutes.—
C.W. Cameron,
AJC.com,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Once the heavy portion is removed, finish with a clean cut where the branch meets the trunk, being careful not to injure the branch collar.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Long work hours have limited their time together and delayed financial goals such as saving, traveling or planning for long-term stability.—
Brianna Mantaras,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
-
If that's a bit rich for your blood, the Pro variant is pitched at $1,999 – a considerable saving on the $3,499 retail ticket price.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Fueled by oil and gas exports, Russia defied Western predictions of economic collapse, instead becoming the 9th-biggest economy in the world in 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund, ahead of Canada and Brazil.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The Russian economy has been struggling since 2014, so many analysts believed that this social contract was coming under strain even before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.—
Elizaveta Gaufman,
The Conversation,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
People forget that being an athlete is selfish.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
12 Feb. 2026
-
The first, the sewing machine, was created by a selfish and ambitious inventor who wanted all the credit and was willing to fight a war for it.—
Luis Gallo,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Off-mountain Activities Vintage Shopping Ketchum has a treasure trove of vintage and second-hand shops, thanks to a culture of quiet luxury that prizes quality, taste, and frugality.—
Denny Lee,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Khamenei was born into poverty and outwardly disdains pomp, cultivating an image of pious frugality.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Inflation continues to pressure consumers The holiday economizing comes as Americans continue to battle inflation, which rose after the COVID-19 pandemic to levels not seen since the 1980s.—
Alexander Coolidge,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
11 Nov. 2025
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
Noun
-
Cleaning Rags Most thrift stores have a section dedicated to linens and fabrics, which Traxler likes to cut and use as cleaning rags.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Outdated Electronics Some electronics are ideal for donating to thrift stores or re-use centers.—
Kate McKenna,
The Spruce,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penny-pinching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penny-pinching. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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