skimpy

adjective

ˈskim-pē 

skimpier; skimpiest

: deficient in supply or execution especially through skimping : scanty

skimpily

ˈskim-pə-lē 

adverb

skimpiness

ˈskim-pē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• exiguous
• hand-to-mouth
• light
• meager
• meagre
• niggardly
• poor
• scant
• scanty
• scarce
• skimp
• slender
• slim
• spare
• sparing
• sparse
• stingy

Choose the Right Synonym for skimpy

meager, scanty, scant, skimpy, spare, sparse mean falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable.

meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency.

a meager portion of meat

scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent.

supplies too scanty to last the winter

scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential.

in January the daylight hours are scant

skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency.

tacky housing developments on skimpy lots

spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity.

a spare, concise style of writing

sparse implies a thin scattering of units.

a sparse population

Examples of skimpy in a Sentence

the information in the user's manual for the microwave is skimpy and not particularly helpful

Recent Examples on the Web

Kennedy balked at the skimpy benefits, understanding that Congress could not be relied on to regularly expand coverage. —Guian McKee / Made By History, TIME, 29 Dec. 2024

Health experts say insurers are making a flurry of changes that could leave some senior citizens hunting for new policies, paying more out of pocket or getting skimpier supplemental benefits. —Alexandra Banner, CNN, 15 Oct. 2024

That could cause healthier people to use the subsidies to buy cheaper and skimpier plans, raising premiums for older and sicker consumers who need more comprehensive coverage. —Julie Rovner, NPR, 21 Nov. 2024

The results of the Biden administration's Medicare Advantage changes will vary significantly across plans, and some seniors will see skimpier benefits or lose their plan altogether, Chris Bond, spokesperson for health insurance trade association AHIP, said in a statement. —Maya Goldman, Axios, 3 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

skimpy

adjective

ˈskim-pē 

skimpier; skimpiest

: barely enough : scanty

skimpily

-pə-lē 

adverb

skimpiness

-pē-nəs 

noun