Synonyms of miserly

miserly

adjective

ˈmī-zər-lē 

as in selfish

giving or sharing as little as possible

my brother, who is notoriously miserly, surprised us when he offered to pick up the tab

Synonyms & Similar Words

• selfish
• careful
• stingy
• greedy
• parsimonious
• tightfisted
• close
• ungenerous
• niggardly
• tight
• cheap
• penurious
• mean
• pinching
• uncharitable
• chintzy
• desirous
• penny-pinching
• sparing
• niggard
• economical
• mingy
• spare
• conserving
• stinting
• small
• thrifty
• frugal
• saving
• pinchpenny
• economizing
• avaricious
• closefisted
• chary
• covetous
• mercenary
• hoggish
• acquisitive
• grudging
• shabby
• rapacious
• sordid
• begrudging
• envious
• avid
• resentful
• scrimping
• grasping
• skimping
• itchy
• coveting
• inhospitable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• generous
• charitable
• munificent
• liberal
• bountiful
• bounteous
• unstinting
• unselfish
• unsparing
• openhanded
• altruistic
• selfless
• extravagant
• handsome
• lavish
• overgenerous
• free
• benevolent
• hospitable
• philanthropic
• profuse
• beneficent
• magnanimous
• humanitarian
• kindly
• freehanded
• compassionate
• philanthropical
• wasteful
• profligate
• spendthrift
• unthrifty
• openhearted
• wasting
• prodigal
• good-hearted
• thriftless
• dissipating
• greathearted
• squandering
• frittering
• splurging

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective miserly contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of miserly are close, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, and stingy. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

When can close be used instead of miserly?

Although the words close and miserly have much in common, close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions.

folks who are very close when charity calls

When is it sensible to use niggardly instead of miserly?

While the synonyms niggardly and miserly are close in meaning, niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

Where would parsimonious be a reasonable alternative to miserly?

The synonyms parsimonious and miserly are sometimes interchangeable, but parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

When would penurious be a good substitute for miserly?

The words penurious and miserly can be used in similar contexts, but penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

When is stingy a more appropriate choice than miserly?

While in some cases nearly identical to miserly, stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of miserly

While casual fans and explosive-offense junkies may tap out early (not for nothing did the Vegas books set the over/under at a miserly 44.5 points), the stakes are far too high to pass up on the inaugural semifinal of the 12-team College Football Playoff era. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Jan. 2025

The wage increase of $8.25 a month seems a miserly addition. —Chloe Berger, Fortune Asia, 9 Jan. 2025

The show finds Homer desperate to scrape together enough money to pay for a fun family Christmas after his miserly boss, Mr. Burns, cancelled the holiday bonus and Marge had to empty the piggy bank to remove a tattoo that Bart had gotten at the mall. —Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024

The book is a 92-page novel about Scrooge, a miserly man transformed into a better person after the ghost of Marley, his former partner, and three Spirits visit him on Christmas Eve and show him his past, present, and future. —Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 22 Dec. 2024