stingy

¹

[ stin-jee ]

adjective

, stin·gi·er, stin·gi·est.

1. reluctant to give or spend; not generous; penurious:

   He's a stingy old miser.

   Synonyms: tight

   Antonyms: unselfish, liberal, generous

2. scanty or meager:

   a stingy little income.

   Synonyms: poor, paltry, sparse

stingy

²

[ sting-ee ]

adjective

1. having a sting.

stingy

¹

/ ˈstɪndʒɪ /

adjective

1. unwilling to spend or give
2. insufficient or scanty

stingy

²

/ ˈstɪŋɪ /

adjective

1. informal.
   stinging or capable of stinging

noun

1. dialect.
   a stinging nettle

   I put my hand on a stingy

Derived Forms

• ˈstinginess, noun
• ˈstingily, adverb

Other Words From

• stin·gi·ly adverb
• stin·gi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of stingy¹

First recorded in 1650–60; perhaps derivative of sting; -y ¹

Origin of stingy²

First recorded in 1605–15; sting + -y ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of stingy¹

C17 (perhaps in the sense: ill-tempered): perhaps from stinge, dialect variant of sting

Synonym Study

Stingy, parsimonious, miserly, mean, close all mean reluctant to part with money or goods. Stingy, the most general of these terms, means unwilling to share, give, or spend possessions or money: children who are stingy with their toys; a stingy, grasping skinflint. Parsimonious describes an extreme stinginess arising from unusual or excessive frugality: a sternly parsimonious, penny-pinching existence. Miserly stresses a pathological pleasure in acquiring and hoarding money that is so powerful that even necessities are only grudgingly purchased: a wretched, miserly way of life. Mean suggests a small-minded, ignoble, petty stinginess leading to miserable, cheerless living: depressingly mean with his money; mean surroundings; a mean repast. Close implies extreme caution in spending money, even an aversion to spending: a close dealer, buying only at rock bottom prices; generous with advice, but very close with his money.

Example Sentences

Here, he was playing on the antisemitic trope of Jews as shrewd, stingy businessmen.

From Slate

Every state constitution provides some protections for state voting rights, and with federal courts reading U.S. constitutional protections in increasingly stingy ways, state courts and state constitutions provide a promising alternative path to protecting voters.

From Slate

With Carr still on the sideline against a stingy defense, even a middling Chargers offense should be able to generate enough points to get back in the win column.

From Los Angeles Times

They conceded just 14 times in 13 matches under Glasner last season, with the 28-year-old key to a stingy Eagles defence.

From BBC

Besides healing from injuries, the Chargers must use the off week to examine the offense, its receivers and time spent on the field by the stingy defense.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• frugal
• greedy
• miserly
• selfish
• thrifty