Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective skimpy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of skimpy are meager, scanty, scant, spare, and sparse. While all these words mean "falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable," skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency.

tacky housing developments on skimpy lots

In what contexts can meager take the place of skimpy?

The words meager and skimpy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency.

a meager portion of meat

When can scant be used instead of skimpy?

The words scant and skimpy can be used in similar contexts, but scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential.

in January the daylight hours are scant

When might scanty be a better fit than skimpy?

The meanings of scanty and skimpy largely overlap; however, scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent.

supplies too scanty to last the winter

When would spare be a good substitute for skimpy?

While in some cases nearly identical to skimpy, spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity.

a spare, concise style of writing

When could sparse be used to replace skimpy?

While the synonyms sparse and skimpy are close in meaning, sparse implies a thin scattering of units.

a sparse population

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 skimpy Here, our favorite bedding is anything but skimpy—both on style and quality. Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 22 Aug. 2025 Long fake nails, tattoos, bleach hair that has ruined her once lovely brunette, short tight clothes that are barely there, skimpy bathing suits. R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2025 Why would automakers decide to take the financial hit, rather than pass the costs on to consumers through price hikes or skimpier incentives? Ed Garsten, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025 Some loyalists grumbled for months about skimpy chicken portions. Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for skimpy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skimpy
Adjective
  • For now, Swifties only have the song titles, multiple variant covers, and sparse details shared during the singer’s two-hour long New Heights podcast appearance to shape their understanding of the album.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The pros and cons of sparse attention An AI model makes decisions based on its training data and new information, such as a prompt.
    Tasmin Lockwood, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Details on the deal were scarce, but the studio heads were enthusiastic about the new partnership.
    Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Unfortunately, bargains are scarce in South End – even a quick lunch carries a premium.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Skimpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skimpy. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on skimpy

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