miserly

adjective

ˈmī-zər-lē How to pronounce miserly (audio)
Definition of miserlynext
as in selfish
giving or sharing as little as possible my brother, who is notoriously miserly, surprised us when he offered to pick up the tab

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 The film is set in Mumbai and built around a miserly protagonist whose circumstances spiral into escalating absurdity. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026 The latest Wilderness model will sport the most miserly powertrain of all the vehicles in that sub-brand, Subaru says. — Marty Padgett, The Drive, 1 Apr. 2026 Mobile versions for laptops are more miserly but still draw up to 175 W, which can quickly drain a laptop battery. — IEEE Spectrum, 17 Nov. 2025 While there have been many fine adaptations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Alastair Sim's performance as the miserly, penny-pinching Ebenezer Scrooge elevates this version to must-see status. — Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for miserly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miserly
  1. selfish
  2. careful
  3. stingy
  4. greedy
  5. parsimonious
  6. tightfisted
  7. ungenerous
  8. tight
Adjective
  • Your co-workers need to watch out for themselves, but this shouldn’t be seen as selfish.
    — Dr. Cynthia J. Young, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Erika is manipulative and selfish; Elliot doesn’t respect her boundaries either.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of selfish
Adjective
  • Kurz said that the field team put careful consideration into selecting each site.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Steve Bardens/Getty Images Brighton & Hove Albion must be careful that the chill of winter does not arrive much earlier than normal for them this season in the Conference League.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • Even after accounting for differences between the generous CLTC testing cycle and stingier EPA cycle, we were left with cars offering a crazy-high 910-mile (1,465-km) range.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Aug. 2026
  • In another world where the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is less stingy towards comedic performances, Candy would have easily landed an Oscar nomination, if not a win, for Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
    — Al Shipley, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of stingy
Adjective
  • However, the process doesn’t erase the optics, which are as underhanded and greedy as ever.
    — Tyrone E. Keys Jr, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2026
  • If enough people are angry at the greedy capitalists and find a rationale to blame them for their woes, the idea of socialism becomes more attractive.
    — Mike Patton, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of greedy
Adjective
  • This one seemed slow and turgid, and the Australian attack was parsimonious, with only the sixth bowler used, Ash Gardner, going at more than 10 runs an over in her three overs.
    — Paul Newman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • This is the most parsimonious way to account for the unified nature of consciousness, according to subcorticalists.
    — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 28 May 2026
Definition of parsimonious
Adjective
  • Dobie’s cantankerous, tightfisted father and sweet, harebrained mother were played by the characters actors Frank Faylen and Florida Friebus.
    — Margalit Fox, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2022
  • The ambience reflects Hankey’s tightfisted approach to his seven companies, which include a Toyota dealership, a dealer management software developer and Midway Car Rental, which does a big business renting exotic cars.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2021
Definition of tightfisted
Adjective
  • Plus, no other app is as ungenerous with unblurred photos as eharmony.
    — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 29 July 2026
  • Bad motives are easy to find Sometimes ungenerous motives can help people to be generous.
    — Mark Schroeder, The Conversation, 15 July 2026
Definition of ungenerous
Adjective
  • Mexico holds over 140 Tcf (trillion cubic feet) of unconventional gas resources, mostly in northern shale or tight sand basins.
    — Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Amid tight security, Najib stood inside a cage wearing a prisoner’s uniform as the judge read the sentence.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of tight

Browse Nearby Words

miserliness
miserly
misers
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Cite this Entry

“Miserly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miserly. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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