as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
offered her guest only one measly cookie
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Recent Examples of measly
On the other end, Chicago only has a 34% chance of snow while New Yorkers have a measly 13% chance of a white Christmas this year.
—
Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
But things quickly fell apart and Wilson was released from his contract within two seasons, signing a measly deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
The conference rode shotgun while the SEC gobbled up 14 NCAA bids but made the most of its measly eight participants.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2025
After a woman named AP (Sriram) loses a tooth and is unexpectedly cast with a curse, psychics promise that it can be lifted by a measly $1,000 payment and animal sacrifice.
—Matt Minton, Variety, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for measly
Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
But things quickly fell apart and Wilson was released from his contract within two seasons, signing a measly deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
The conference rode shotgun while the SEC gobbled up 14 NCAA bids but made the most of its measly eight participants.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2025
After a woman named AP (Sriram) loses a tooth and is unexpectedly cast with a curse, psychics promise that it can be lifted by a measly $1,000 payment and animal sacrifice.
—Matt Minton, Variety, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for measly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for measly
Adjective
-
Some combination of bad staff work and bad judgment on her part led Whitmer to be used as a political prop who lent some nominal bipartisanship to an episode that Democrats would very much like Trump to have sole ownership of.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders are nominal political outsiders, regular critics of the Democratic establishment and proud progressives who are beloved by leftwing base voters — qualities that have advantages in today’s political environment.—
David M. Drucker,
Boston Herald,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Dawn came on chilly with a slight overcast and a light breeze.—
Jeffrey A. Brunk,
Outdoor Life,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The rear camera's OIS yields mostly smooth video, but there's some slight bumpiness here and there.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Follicle cysts form when the tiny sac (called a follicle) that houses the maturing egg during your cycle doesn’t break open as usual to release said egg.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Because of the unique position of the pope, a cleric with his own tiny state and significant global influence, the book is also a chronicle of contemporary international affairs.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Also, the state mandates free and reduced fares of $150 million annually but provides a paltry reimbursement of $20 million.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2025
-
This is one of the few times Samsung isn’t running an enhanced trade-in price promotion for its Galaxy S25, with the Note 20 Ultra fetching a paltry $180 and Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra being valued at $155.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Measly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/measly. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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