as in dime
a very small sum of money
trying to start a business on a shoestring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in spindly
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 shoestring
Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Featuring duos racing across an area of the world on a shoestring budget using any means of transportation other than air travel, Race Across the World and its celebrity companion is one of the BBC’s most popular entertainment shows.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
Erik Kirschbaum, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2021
Recent polls show that public opinion of Trump is souring as former Vice President Joe Biden pulls ahead in crucial swing states, despite a shoestring campaign and self-confinement to his Delaware home.
—Justin Sink, Bloomberg.com, 12 May 2020
See All Example Sentences for shoestring
Noun
Alternative media operations run on shoestring budgets and rely on enormous corporations like PayPal to operate correctly.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Featuring duos racing across an area of the world on a shoestring budget using any means of transportation other than air travel, Race Across the World and its celebrity companion is one of the BBC’s most popular entertainment shows.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The nonpartisan Wahl-O-Mat runs on a shoestring annual budget of 100,000 euros, or $120,000, with just three staff members under the aegis of the federal agency for civic education (BPB), Pamela Brandt, project manager since 2004, said in an interview.
—Erik Kirschbaum, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2021
Recent polls show that public opinion of Trump is souring as former Vice President Joe Biden pulls ahead in crucial swing states, despite a shoestring campaign and self-confinement to his Delaware home.
—Justin Sink, Bloomberg.com, 12 May 2020
See All Example Sentences for shoestring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoestring
Noun
-
The Angels are paying hundreds of millions for a roster that cannot find home plate, while the rats are finding nacho cheese without spending a dime.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
This can feel thrilling and unconventional — one moment sparks could fly, and the other things could change on a dime.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Putting full-sun plants in shade leads to spindly, weak growth and few flowers.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Likewise, a spindly tomato in late July should be left alone.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Finally, dingy, discolored, or stringy towels need to get the heave-ho.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2026
-
And in 2026, USF researchers forecast another record for masses of the stringy stuff beaching in Florida.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Popular sedge plants include two-toned, coppery-brown Japanese sedge, as well as wispy brown New Zealand sedge.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Instead, the arcs in the sky are wispy white, with the occasional faint green color mixed in.—
Heather Greenwood Davis,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For those, trim away dead, damaged, or twiggy growth, and shape lightly if needed after blooming.—
Katherine Owen,
Southern Living,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Choose Rustic Materials Wood structures and twiggy supports throughout the garden give it a timeless charm.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As Pichai entered the water, waves pummeled his lanky frame.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
6 May 2026
-
Jim Mora could sense the excitement in Justin Joly’s voice, as if the lanky teenager was ready to hurdle himself through the phone.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Moss-colored chaise longues in the living area, piled with pillows and wool blankets, are perfectly positioned to take in the view, as are the four-poster beds with wool-blend mattresses and willowy gauzy curtains.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Given the differences in Western and Eastern beauty standards, and the realities of setting a romance in the hockey world, neither Shane nor Ilya fit the mold of BL’s feminine, willowy bishonen.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
That reedy Vox Continental organ sound would re-emerge during the punk and New Wave era of the late 1970s and early ’80s with Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns and Elvis Costello and the Attractions.—
Hector Saldana,
San Antonio Express-News,
9 Mar. 2026
-
At the Upper West Side outpost of the Strand, the actor is a reedy presence, his small figure buried in a large North Face winter jacket and topped with a shock of curly hair.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shoestring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoestring. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
