as in small
of a size that is less than average
a puny, wrinkled apple
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Recent Examples of puny
For weeks voter polls have found that three Democrats are locked in a tie, albeit at a puny level, around 10%, while the other five Democrats are buried in single digits.
—
Dan Walters, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
And unlike most electrics that try their best to look the part but offer relatively puny power figures, the STRiX boasts impressive horsepower figures in addition to the high torque that comes as a byproduct of electric motors.
—New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
By contrast, the G-Wiz is comparatively puny.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 11 Mar. 2026
Steve Rogers grows up in Brooklyn as a puny but resolute child.
—Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for puny
Dan Walters, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
And unlike most electrics that try their best to look the part but offer relatively puny power figures, the STRiX boasts impressive horsepower figures in addition to the high torque that comes as a byproduct of electric motors.
—New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
By contrast, the G-Wiz is comparatively puny.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 11 Mar. 2026
Steve Rogers grows up in Brooklyn as a puny but resolute child.
—Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for puny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puny
Adjective
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The National Federation of Independent Business has warned that small businesses and consumers who rely on energy, rather than oil giants, will end up holding the bag.—
Yaël Ossowski,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
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But as funding from cap-and-invest and the climate bond dwindle, the state must increasingly turn to Cal Fire, which devotes only a small portion of its budget to mitigation work.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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Despite its unnerving intimacy, which suggests either erotic pursuit or familiar proximity, the diminutive print calls to mind the photos of Saul Leiter, a figure surprisingly unmentioned in Ghirri’s essays despite his frequent fond allusions to American street photography.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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One of the other creatures parked in Clark’s Backrooms nest is a diminutive entity in velvety red that strongly recalls a still, silent version of the Little Man From Another Place, a signature character from David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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When Gary Vernon began riding mountain bikes in Arkansas almost 40 years ago, there was very little infrastructure intended for riders without deep experience—or a devil-may-care attitude.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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Emergency reserves have little oil to spare and fuel stockpiles are facing critical lows as peak summer demand months approach.—
Devika Krishna Kumar,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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From the train windows, expect to spot the aquamarine waves of Ligurian Sea crashing against the stony coast, candy-colored houses huddled together on the hillsides, tiny wooden boats gliding through village harbors, and flecks of golden-sand beaches.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 June 2026
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Tribby, of Miles City, noted that, absent a court ruling that defines the legality of corner crossing in Montana, the PLPW council should consider access corridors rather than single-point access to a tiny corner that might be on a steep sidehill or monumented by a tree.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Puny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puny. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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