1
2

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective penurious contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of penurious are close, miserly, niggardly, parsimonious, and stingy. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

Where would close be a reasonable alternative to penurious?

While the synonyms close and penurious are close in meaning, 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 penurious?

While in some cases nearly identical to penurious, miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

When is it sensible to use niggardly instead of penurious?

Although the words niggardly and penurious have much in common, niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

In what contexts can parsimonious take the place of penurious?

The words parsimonious and penurious can be used in similar contexts, but parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

When can stingy be used instead of penurious?

The meanings of stingy and penurious largely overlap; however, 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 penurious Both album and turntable were all the rage, and the Technics was the first quality direct-drive turntable that a penurious college student could afford. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2024 There are resentful relatives, penurious relatives, conniving relatives, no relatives, and loved ones denied input because they are not related. Dan Barry, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 The book looks beyond Appalachia, concluding the regions in question had been exploited by single industries and white elites, paying poor wages with equally penurious working conditions. Ken Silverstein, Forbes, 13 Aug. 2023 When his sports career petered out, Thorpe kept hustling to make an increasingly penurious living. Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2022 See All Example Sentences for penurious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penurious
Adjective
  • In the late 1800s, two child psychologists coined the term only child syndrome to describe the negative traits that their research showed only children often possess, including being spoiled, selfish, maladjusted, and anti-social.
    Liz Hammond, Vogue, 11 June 2025
  • What if the very structure of our success makes having children feel like a selfish, impossible luxury?
    Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Adjective
  • In Zimbabwe, the Catholic Church operates about 100 schools, ranging from dozens in impoverished areas where annual tuition is as low as $150 to elite boarding schools that can charge thousands of dollars.
    Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
  • Some government functions were eviscerated, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, which had provided a lifeline for impoverished people around the world.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 May 2025
Adjective
  • Watch out for slippery roads: Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins.
    Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 7 June 2025
  • However, Kilmeade was careful to praise Musk’s efforts during his time in the Trump administration.
    Andrew Kirell, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Massive clouds of pollutants could collide in North Carolina this week and result in poor air quality conditions for millions.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 5 June 2025
  • This lack of preparation yields poor communication that worsens difficult situations and burns bridges between companies and fired employees.
    Nicole Tidei, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Are the companies somehow less greedy in other states?
    Ted Gaines, Oc Register, 28 May 2025
  • What the greedy developers are trying to do burns me to no end.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • Really, Song wants to know whether a sensible girl can justify shackling herself to a broke creative.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
  • Yet the city, which claims it is broke, spent money litigating this and even now is considering appealing this court’s common-sense ruling.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2025
Adjective
  • But, even though there was nothing the slightest bit ungracious or ungenerous about her performance, it was felt more like the audience being asked to come to her.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Perhaps most perplexing about Smash, though, is its weirdly cynical, ungenerous take on the Bombshell herself.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Lillian Feldman was born to impecunious Jewish emigres in Cincinnati on July 13, 1927, the twelfth of thirteen children who were encouraged by their mother to draw on the walls.
    News Desk, Artforum, 17 Oct. 2024
  • Among them is the sardonic confidant, St. Quentin; the down-at-the-heels military man, Major Brutt; and the impecunious, high-living chancer, Eddie.
    Washington Post, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2021

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Penurious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penurious. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!