miserly

[ mahy-zer-lee ]

adjective

1. of, like, or befitting a miser; penurious; stingy.

   Synonyms: parsimonious, cheap

   Antonyms: generous

miserly

/ ˈmaɪzəlɪ /

adjective

1. of or resembling a miser; avaricious

Derived Forms

• ˈmiserliness, noun

Other Words From

• miser·li·ness noun
• un·miser·ly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of miserly¹

First recorded in 1585–95; miser + -ly

Synonym Study

See stingy ¹.

Example Sentences

Lost jobs mean no money for rent, at least with our miserly welfare system.

From Time

Old Ebenezer Balfour turns out to be miserly and widely hated, residing in a dilapidated, only half-built house.

From Washington Post

A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens’s beloved novella about a miserly old man and the three ghosts who visit to teach him about the spirit of Christmas, is one of my favorite stories ever written.

From Vox

With the passage of Prop 22, the companies have now legislated into existence another miserly version of a portable safety net, along with a face-saving attempt at a minimum wage.

From Fortune

So being hypocritical and miserly are what Falwell is being roasted for.

From Ozy

Her father, though basically miserly, did not stint on household bills.

From The Daily Beast

I decided not to be miserly for once and bought first-class tickets to be sure of a seat.

From The Daily Beast

They also took advantage of the necessity of others, in miserly traffic in Beaver skins with the Savages.

From Project Gutenberg

A little breath of red crept into the withered cheeks of the miserly old man.

From Project Gutenberg

If a man be poor who wishes to have everything, then an ambitious and a miserly man languish in extreme poverty.

From Project Gutenberg

A very religious and very miserly man who hoarded for his son.

From Project Gutenberg

The unhappy fact was that this sudden acquisition of wealth had developed a really miserly disposition in the elder brother.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• tightfisted