as in parsimonious
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Recent Examples of penny-wise
In fiscal terms, the budget cuts are penny-wise and galactically foolish.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Cheap graphics cards are penny-wise but dollar-foolish for gaming PCs.
—Brad Bourque, Wired News, 9 Aug. 2024
But even if successful, such an effort would likely be penny-wise and pound-foolish, leading U.S. allies to turn away from Washington in the long term.
—Stephen G. Brooks, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2025
Having these tenants lose their apartments and become homeless is penny-wise and pound-foolish.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2024
Ironically, its source is here on Earth: Congress, which has the penny-wise but pound-foolish policy of releasing just a trickle of funding to the space agency every year, hobbles many of NASA's mission goals that require thinking past a two-year House or six-year Senate term.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2023
On the other hand, avoid being penny-wise, pound-foolish.
—Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2024
Ironically, its source is here on Earth: Congress, which has the penny-wise but pound-foolish policy of releasing just a trickle of funding to the space agency every year, hobbles many of nasa's mission goals that require thinking past a two-year House or six-year Senate term.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2023
Delaying investments in sustainable energy and climate adaptation (such as coastal retreat in response to sea-level rise) is penny-wise but immensely pound-foolish.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2023
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Cheap graphics cards are penny-wise but dollar-foolish for gaming PCs.
—Brad Bourque, Wired News, 9 Aug. 2024
But even if successful, such an effort would likely be penny-wise and pound-foolish, leading U.S. allies to turn away from Washington in the long term.
—Stephen G. Brooks, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2025
Having these tenants lose their apartments and become homeless is penny-wise and pound-foolish.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2024
Ironically, its source is here on Earth: Congress, which has the penny-wise but pound-foolish policy of releasing just a trickle of funding to the space agency every year, hobbles many of NASA's mission goals that require thinking past a two-year House or six-year Senate term.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2023
On the other hand, avoid being penny-wise, pound-foolish.
—Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2024
Ironically, its source is here on Earth: Congress, which has the penny-wise but pound-foolish policy of releasing just a trickle of funding to the space agency every year, hobbles many of nasa's mission goals that require thinking past a two-year House or six-year Senate term.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2023
Delaying investments in sustainable energy and climate adaptation (such as coastal retreat in response to sea-level rise) is penny-wise but immensely pound-foolish.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penny-wise
Adjective
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Both parsimonious tenets are measurable, explainable and actionable.—
Noah Barsky,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
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This parsimonious approach protects you from overdoing it when a less resource-intensive and even faster way to get the data would have been enough.—
Julius Černiauskas,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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The Athletics, despite their miserly ways, have a strong foundation of young players — Silver Slugger Brent Rooker, Lawrence Butler, Jacob Wilson, JJ Bleday, Shea Langeliers, Zack Gelof, and this year’s #4 pick in the draft, Nick Kurtz.—
Dan Freedman,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2024
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But the approval process has been slow, the discounts vary from carrier to carrier, the requirements coming from insurers don’t always match the state’s own standards and the savings on offer are, according to some, miserly.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Every year, a complacent, tightfisted city council turned down the recommendations.—
Margaret Talbot,
The New Yorker,
2 Oct. 2023
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Kotick played the tightfisted owner of the Oakland A’s.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
31 May 2023
Adjective
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Those who are approved must cope with notoriously unreliable in-home nursing, a byproduct of the state’s penurious reimbursement rates.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
17 Jan. 2025
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Those who are approved must cope with notoriously unreliable in-home nursing, a byproduct of the state’s penurious reimbursement rates.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Actress Keke Palmer was a millionaire at just the age of 12, but she’s always stuck by a frugal lifestyle that her parents instilled in her.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
24 June 2025
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Lazio are famously frugal under president Claudio Lotito, and much was made of how his Inter teams were put together on the cheap, with players like Andre Onana, Marcus Thuram, Stefan de Vrij, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Hakan Calhanoglu all arriving at different stages on free transfers.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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The movie was made for a thrifty $25M, 50% co-financed by Sony Pictures, and dealt with a production pause due to the strikes.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2025
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The Dell Inspiron 15 and the Asus Vivobook Go 15 are two other thrifty AMD laptops.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Luxury sweets may cost a pretty penny, but giving your host a free pass to be a bit stingy with them?—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
20 June 2025
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At some point, though, Indiana will need someone to make a tough bucket against a stingy defense.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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Strip Shingles, also called three-tab, are the most basic and economical, but have the shortest lifespan (typically have a 20-30 year warranty).—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
25 June 2025
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In May, scientists assessed sleep data from more than 200,000 people in China and also found that rising ambient temperatures would have a huge physical, mental and economical impact on residents as the planet continued to warm.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penny-wise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penny-wise. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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