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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective stingy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of stingy are close, miserly, niggardly, parsimonious, and penurious. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

When could close be used to replace stingy?

The words close and stingy can be used in similar contexts, but close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions.

folks who are very close when charity calls

When might miserly be a better fit than stingy?

The words miserly and stingy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

When is niggardly a more appropriate choice than stingy?

In some situations, the words niggardly and stingy are roughly equivalent. However, niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

When would parsimonious be a good substitute for stingy?

While the synonyms parsimonious and stingy are close in meaning, parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

Where would penurious be a reasonable alternative to stingy?

While in some cases nearly identical to stingy, penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

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 stingy Plus, Buc-ee’s is never stingy with the amount of brisket,' says Alex Melendez, executive chef of Thompson Houston in Houston, Texas. Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 16 Feb. 2025 Amador Valley had its chances to tie, but Monte Vista’s stingy defense forced two deep 3s that went off the mark. Christian Babcock, The Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2025 New Jersey Devils Concern-o-meter: 5.5/10 The Devils were proving to be one of the stingiest teams in December. Shayna Goldman, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025 And, while a few are stingy with earnings, most pay considerably more than minimum wage. Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stingy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stingy
Adjective
  • There’s potential for clarity in resolving any lingering tension, but also be careful not to speak too rashly.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 3 Mar. 2025
  • In comments at the Morgan Stanley media conference, the Fox CEO was again extremely careful to stress that the goal is not to cannibalize linear television and Fox will not advertise it on linear television but is meant purely to capture those who cut the cord or have never subscribed to cable.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Research on caterpillar venoms is still sparse enough that no new drugs have resulted yet, but venoms of other organisms have yielded some important therapies.
    Bob Holmes, JSTOR Daily, 27 Feb. 2025
  • His words, though often sparse and cryptic, usually mattered more than those of his counterparts, fueling a political mystique of infallibility.
    Megan Crepeau, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
Adjective
  • Over the last decade, counties where large majorities of residents drink fluoridated water have consistently posted low rates of emergency room visits for dental conditions, especially in comparison to counties where fluoridated water is relatively scarce.
    Cindy Krischer Goodman, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2025
  • The area normally can expect 38.4 inches, according to the National Weather Service. Chicago was warmer than average during the 2023-24 season due to a La Niña climate system, which meant snow was scarce.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Liberals without children fear they are seen as selfish careerists or libertines.
    Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Dropping this much weight in such a short amount of time is both dangerous and, according to his teammates, selfish.
    Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • And another research team, using data from 2015 to 2022, observed in an article available in Energy Research and Social Science that poor income distribution correlates with social unrest when fossil fuel subsidies are removed.
    Aldo Flores-Quiroga, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Federal workers got commendations, awards, positive reviews – and then were fired for 'poor performance' Taxes are coming.
    Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Forget the greedy streamers: leave the job of filmmaking to people who care, to people like Corbet and Eisenberg, Fargeat and Zilbalodis.
    Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 3 Mar. 2025
  • When Sue becomes greedy with her time, exceeding seven days on the outside, Elisabeth suffers the consequences, and things take a dark and twisted turn.
    Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 3 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

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Cite this Entry

“Stingy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stingy. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

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