as in penurious
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Recent Examples of costive
In fact, their writings are more pungent now that they have been liberated from the costive confines of the movement.
—
Jacob Heilbrunn, The New Republic, 23 Jan. 2020
Movies coiled up in other movies have a habit of becoming either costive or cute, but somehow Falardeau avoids the traps.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 May 2017
Jacob Heilbrunn, The New Republic, 23 Jan. 2020
Movies coiled up in other movies have a habit of becoming either costive or cute, but somehow Falardeau avoids the traps.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for costive
Adjective
-
There’s a cast of wanderers, visionaries, and itinerants, the self-educated and self-published, a long lineage of cranks and outcasts, mostly penurious, always opinionated, stretching away into the mists of pseudohistory.—
Hari Kunzru,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Then the usually penurious Indians suddenly splurged.—
Chuck Murr,
Forbes.com,
19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s a generous and an ungenerous reading of Carole Radziwill returning to RHONY.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
-
There’s an ungenerous and shallow way to look at this film as little more than a highlight reel of Hammer’s work, a paltry substitute for actually spending meaningful time with the work itself.—
Sam Bodrojan,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
What fraction visible at basically every U.S. gas station originated as a parsimonious response to a 1932 one-penny gas tax?—
Drew Goins,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The financial rewards accrued from streaming and downloading have been parsimonious.—
Thomas Doherty,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The film is set in Mumbai and built around a miserly protagonist whose circumstances spiral into escalating absurdity.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
-
UConn’s offense hasn’t been nearly as prolific, averaging 73.2 points per game, although its D has been downright miserly.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But really, that's pretty selfish.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
15 May 2026
-
Artists can be complicated, selfish people, and substance abuse exacerbates these traits for many of them.—
Luis Parrales,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
There is no need to be uncharitable.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
-
His uncharitable behavior and boundless love of money wins no converts to the Christian faith.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Fans of Pawlikowski’s style will feel coldly, cozily at home in how their emotionally stingy relationship plays out.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
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Meanwhile, the Spirit own one of the stingiest defenses in the league, allowing just six goals this season, tied for the second-fewest in the NWSL.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Costive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/costive. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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