Synonyms of stinginess

stinginess 1 of 2

noun

as in economy

the quality or practice of being overly sparing with money

refusing to tip poorly paid restaurant servers is a particularly petty form of stinginess

Synonyms & Similar Words

• economy
• miserliness
• cheapness
• economizing
• saving
• parsimony
• tightness
• providence
• pinching
• penuriousness
• penny-pinching
• managing
• closeness
• frugality
• conserving
• conservation
• husbanding
• cheeseparing
• thrift
• tightfistedness
• husbandry
• skimping
• scrimping

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• generosity
• liberality
• unselfishness
• philanthropy
• largesse
• bounty
• extravagance
• lavishness
• dissipation
• wastefulness
• bountifulness
• openheartedness
• prodigality
• improvidence
• openhandedness
• squandering

stingy

2 of 2

adjective

ˈstin-jē 

1

as in miserly

giving or sharing as little as possible

until his redemption, Ebenezer Scrooge is the classic example of a very stingy, heartless miser

Synonyms & Similar Words

• miserly
• selfish
• greedy
• tightfisted
• parsimonious
• tight
• ungenerous
• cheap
• close
• pinching
• penurious
• mean
• chintzy
• careful
• uncharitable
• desirous
• sparing
• mingy
• economical
• penny-pinching
• conserving
• spare
• stinting
• small
• thrifty
• frugal
• pinchpenny
• closefisted
• saving
• chary
• avaricious
• economizing
• covetous
• mercenary
• acquisitive
• shabby
• envious
• rapacious
• grudging
• itchy
• avid
• resentful
• begrudging
• sordid
• hoggish
• skimping
• grasping
• scrimping
• inhospitable
• coveting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• generous
• liberal
• charitable
• munificent
• bountiful
• bounteous
• openhanded
• unselfish
• altruistic
• unsparing
• unstinting
• selfless
• extravagant
• free
• lavish
• handsome
• benevolent
• overgenerous
• hospitable
• profuse
• philanthropic
• beneficent
• magnanimous
• kindly
• humanitarian
• freehanded
• compassionate
• wasteful
• openhearted
• profligate
• unthrifty
• spendthrift
• wasting
• prodigal
• good-hearted
• thriftless
• greathearted
• dissipating
• squandering
• splurging
• frittering

2

as in sparse

less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable

a stingy serving of mashed potatoes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sparse
• scarce
• poor
• meager
• skimpy
• scanty
• lowest
• lacking
• scant
• sparing
• inadequate
• insufficient
• small
• slender
• skimp
• light
• exiguous
• spare
• hand-to-mouth
• mere
• short
• slim
• deficient
• thin on the ground
• minimal
• thin
• least
• slightest
• wanting
• bare-bones
• sterile
• bare
• littlest
• unproductive
• slight
• unfruitful
• barren
• infertile

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• generous
• liberal
• abundant
• adequate
• sufficient
• enough
• ample
• plentiful
• copious
• satisfactory
• bountiful
• rich
• tolerable
• prolific
• fat
• fertile
• plenteous
• fruitful
• lavish
• extra
• excess
• luxuriant
• fecund
• bursting
• surplus
• flourishing
• proliferative
• thriving
• swarming
• blooming
• teeming

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective stingy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of stingy are close, miserly, niggardly, parsimonious, and penurious. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

When could close be used to replace stingy?

The words close and stingy can be used in similar contexts, but close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions.

folks who are very close when charity calls

When might miserly be a better fit than stingy?

The words miserly and stingy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

When is niggardly a more appropriate choice than stingy?

In some situations, the words niggardly and stingy are roughly equivalent. However, niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

When would parsimonious be a good substitute for stingy?

While the synonyms parsimonious and stingy are close in meaning, parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

Where would penurious be a reasonable alternative to stingy?

While in some cases nearly identical to stingy, penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of stinginess

Noun

That’s not stinginess for the sake of stinginess. —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026

Waunakee dominated play early, but Meyer’s stinginess in net and a goal by Leo Jenson gave the Warriors a 1-0 first period lead. —Jim Hoehn, Twin Cities, 5 Mar. 2026

Adjective

Then the experimental concept of playing 6-9 Yaxel Lendeborg, 6-10 Morez Johnson and the 7-3 Mara on the floor together suddenly clicked against historically one of the nation’s stingiest defenses, and the Wolverines became an overnight juggernaut. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026

Arizona led for much of the early minutes, but Purdue’s shot-making and stingy defense flipped game. —Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2026