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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 The Mets’ bullpen has been exceptionally stingy to start the season. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 6 Apr. 2025 But a slew of signals suggest the economy is starting to lose momentum, including weaker corporate earnings, eroding consumer confidence and stingier retail sales. Alain Sherter, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2025 The nation's stingiest defense held the Vols to 15 first-half points, the fewest in an Elite Eight game since 1979. Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2025 Showdown beyond the arc One of the most intriguing matchups in Atlanta will be Ole Miss’ 3-point shooters, led by Sean Pedulla, taking on a Michigan State defense that is one of the nation’s stingiest outside the arc. Paul Newberry, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stingy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stingy
Adjective
  • Be careful not to let in too much moisture to avoid any mildew or mold developing on your mattress.
    Terry Baddoo, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Yet Schlossberg is careful to note that May did not shadow-direct the movie during production.
    Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Prevent seeds from establishing by maintaining a healthy lawn, stop seed germination with pre-emergent herbicides, Maintain a Healthy Lawn Dandelions thrive in thin, sparse lawns and garden beds.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The trend left a lasting impact on Marchand and others in her generation who were left with sparse, barely-there brows.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Here's the unvarnished truth: Medicaid's miserly reimbursement rates have driven countless doctors to stop accepting patients in the program.
    Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Chrissy made a predictably miserly offer of $230,000, and obviously David did not take it.
    Laura Bradley, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The area normally can expect 38.4 inches, according to the National Weather Service. Chicago was warmer than average during the 2023-24 season, which meant snow was scarce.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2025
  • This gap is particularly pronounced in countries without a long-standing tradition of immigration, such as Austria and Germany, where clinical studies on menopause among migrant populations remain scarce.
    Ximena Araya-Fischel, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Pope in New York slams ‘selfish’ thirst for power and wealth Pope Francis endorses the Iran nuclear deal at U.N., but his focus remains the poor and vulnerable.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025
  • While soccer is a team game, Guardiola instructs players to first focus on excelling personally—to be selfish.
    Rachana Adyanthaya, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But nothing has come to fruition yet because Robert's poor play has tanked his trade value.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Some parents worry that Alexa's high tolerance for rudeness instills poor behavior in their kids, according to Quartz.
    Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Bad guys are selfish, greedy, and prone to speeches.
    John DeVore, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Robert Redford delivers folksy wisdom as a local eccentric who once had his own dragon encounter, and even Karl Urban’s greedy logger is more of a nuisance than an outright villain.
    Josh Bell, Vulture, 21 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 2 May. 2025.

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