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

The photo features Perry dressed in a skimpy white bikini, her legs encased in what look like metallic pegasus legs and her arms tucked into her voluminous black hair. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 17 June 2024

Jones didn’t dress in skimpy tights or run around with a codename. —Nola Pfau, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2024

Pallot is officially the oldest person to ever strut her stuff at the annual extravaganza celebrating all things skimpy. —Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 4 June 2024

The accusations over skimpy burrito bowls have even led some customers to film employees preparing their meals, claiming workers heap on proteins and toppings in front of a phone camera. —Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 3 June 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