skimpy

adjective

ˈskim-pē How to pronounce skimpy (audio)
Definition of skimpynext
as in sparse
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable the information in the user's manual for the microwave is skimpy and not particularly helpful

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the adjective skimpy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of skimpy are meager, scanty, scant, spare, and sparse. While all these words mean "falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable," skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency.

tacky housing developments on skimpy lots

In what contexts can meager take the place of skimpy?

The words meager and skimpy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency.

a meager portion of meat

When can scant be used instead of skimpy?

The words scant and skimpy can be used in similar contexts, but scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential.

in January the daylight hours are scant

When might scanty be a better fit than skimpy?

The meanings of scanty and skimpy largely overlap; however, scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent.

supplies too scanty to last the winter

When would spare be a good substitute for skimpy?

While in some cases nearly identical to skimpy, spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity.

a spare, concise style of writing

When could sparse be used to replace skimpy?

While the synonyms sparse and skimpy are close in meaning, sparse implies a thin scattering of units.

a sparse population

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 skimpy Some loyalists grumbled for months about skimpy chicken portions. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2025 Some may opt to wear a skimpy swimsuit or skip swimwear altogether. —Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2025 Meanwhile, the plans to evacuate the makeshift camp in the event of a major storm are skimpy and frankly, unbelievable. —Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2025 On Friday, the 21-year-old actress took to Instagram to post a trio of photos showing off her toned physique in a skimpy string bikini. —Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 29 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for skimpy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skimpy
  1. sparse
  2. scarce
Adjective
  • Model Drift and Fraud Patterns Require Human Feedback In fraud detection, patterns evolve quickly and data remains sparse.
    — Christer Holloman, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The floors will be reclaimed plastic and concrete, and the equipment in the hospital will be sparse, as there are no monitors available, Hawash-Kuemmerle said.
    — Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of sparse
Adjective
  • Treat storage as a scarce public good.
    — Phil De Luna, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Water is scarce, rationed to just three hours a day in some districts, and packs of stray dogs roam the city.
    — Yegor Mostovshikov, The Dial, 9 Sep. 2025
Definition of scarce

Browse Nearby Words

skimps (on)
skimpy
skims
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Skimpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skimpy. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of skimpy for Spanish Speakers

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