paltry

adjective

pal·​try ˈpȯl-trē 

paltrier; paltriest

1

: inferior, trashy

built paltry houses unfit for occupancy

2

: mean, despicable

a paltry trick

3

: trivial

a paltry excuse

they in their greatness don't have to bother with such paltry restrictions

—Vanessa Feltz

4

: meager, measly

made a paltry donation

Sales have increased by a paltry two percent.

paltriness noun

Did you know?

Before "paltry" was an adjective, it was a noun meaning "trash." That now obsolete noun in turn came from "palt" or "pelt," dialect terms meaning "a piece of coarse cloth," or broadly, "trash." The adjective "paltry" first meant "trashy," but currently has a number of senses, all generally meaning "no good." A "paltry house" might be run-down and unfit for occupancy; a "paltry trick" is a trick that is low-down and dirty; a "paltry excuse" is a trivial one; and a "paltry sum" is small and insufficient.

Synonyms

• cheap
• contemptible
• cruddy
• deplorable
• despicable
• dirty
• grubby
• lame
• lousy
• mean
• nasty
• pitiable
• pitiful
• ratty
• scabby
• scummy
• scurvy
• sneaking
• sorry
• wretched

Examples of paltry in a Sentence

a paltry, underhanded scheme to get someone fired

the hotel's shabby, outdated exercise room was its paltry attempt at a health spa

Recent Examples on the Web

But the Wolves have set a new standard for themselves, partly because of the Gobert trade, that almost seems so beyond the paltry scraps of moral victories and success that often ended in February back in the previous three decades. —Zach Harper, New York Times, 2 May 2025

Furthermore, as the Academy grows ever more global, Sinners’s relatively paltry international gross ($40 million to date, compared to about $135 million domestically) could be a sign that non-U.S. voters may not respond to it in the same way. —Nate Jones, Vulture, 1 May 2025

The historic vote came as roughly 55,000 county workers entered the first full day of a two-day strike, accusing the county of slow-rolling contract negotiations and bringing paltry offers to the bargaining table. —Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025

The Las Vegas Raiders are attempting to right the ship after the team posted a paltry 4-13 record in 2024. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

obsolete paltry trash, from dialect palt, pelt piece of coarse cloth, trash; akin to Middle Low German palte rag

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

paltry

adjective

pal·​try ˈpȯl-trē 

paltrier; paltriest

1

: petty sense 3, mean

a paltry trick

2

: trivial sense 2, worthless

a paltry sum

paltriness noun