Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective miserly contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of miserly are close, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, and stingy. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

When can close be used instead of miserly?

Although the words close and miserly have much in common, close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions.

folks who are very close when charity calls

When is it sensible to use niggardly instead of miserly?

While the synonyms niggardly and miserly are close in meaning, niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

Where would parsimonious be a reasonable alternative to miserly?

The synonyms parsimonious and miserly are sometimes interchangeable, but parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

When would penurious be a good substitute for miserly?

The words penurious and miserly can be used in similar contexts, but penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

When is stingy a more appropriate choice than miserly?

While in some cases nearly identical to miserly, stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

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 miserly Liverpool’s torpid display at Wembley against Newcastle will have hurt Merseyside pride, but the cost to club coffers is minimal; League Cup compensation is miserly, even for the winners. Chris Weatherspoon, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025 Up to then, Wrexham had by far the most miserly defence in League One after conceding just 11 goals in 19 league games — five better than Birmingham City and Huddersfield Town. Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025 With the arrival of pitchers and catchers, one of the coldest and miserly baseball offseasons in memory is nearing conclusion, and it can’t be understated that, other than the Dodgers, Yankees and Mets (on one player), hardly any team spent any money. Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2025 One of the things that bedeviled American politics this century is our close elections, which has made our parties and their leaders miserly with their political capital. Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for miserly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miserly
Adjective
  • And, in the context of wanting to grow up, being subject to another person’s selfish patterns is a pretty fundamental life experience.
    Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 4 May 2025
  • These people start out as aging narcissists with selfish intentions who try to navigate when each of them gets grounded in their own vulnerability.
    David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • This careful search led Phan's team to a single object, a tiny dot in the infrared data.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 1 May 2025
  • Her empathetic approach and careful unfolding of Dean’s story — particularly the bond between mother and son — reflect the very best of British documentary filmmaking.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • However, the realities of stingier customers who are less willing to buy multiple streaming subscriptions or opt for premium tiers or buy on-demand titles are poised to put more pressure on streaming firms’ advertising plans.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Apr. 2025
  • But for some of these newer regions, the guide has been stingy with the stars, with only a handful for each at their debut.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • As with an apparently solid house, the foundations start to shift, the roof leaks, and greedy neighbors start to encroach on the grounds.
    Margaret MacMillan, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Your ex friends are greedy and deserve to not have you all at their wedding.
    Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But the iPhone 17 Air’s parsimonious speaker holes might suggest a phone with less capable audio.
    David Phelan, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Some have felt conflicted, but after decades without success and 14 years of soulless drudgery under Mike Ashley’s parsimonious ownership, many were willing to accept anything for the promise or even just the hope of better times.
    Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Every year, a complacent, tightfisted city council turned down the recommendations.
    Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023
  • Kotick played the tightfisted owner of the Oakland A’s.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 31 May 2023
Adjective
  • Melania Trump wears black veil to Pope Francis' funeral as President Trump dons blue suit As the president's second term in office passes the 100-day mark, here is a closer look at the first lady's lookbook.
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
  • That means everything from personally running product development to maintaining close relationships with distribution partners.
    Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But, even though there was nothing the slightest bit ungracious or ungenerous about her performance, it was felt more like the audience being asked to come to her.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Perhaps most perplexing about Smash, though, is its weirdly cynical, ungenerous take on the Bombshell herself.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Miserly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miserly. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

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