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niggardly

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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective niggardly contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of niggardly are close, miserly, parsimonious, penurious, and stingy. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

When can close be used instead of niggardly?

Although the words close and niggardly 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 miserly instead of niggardly?

The meanings of miserly and niggardly largely overlap; however, miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

Where would parsimonious be a reasonable alternative to niggardly?

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

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

When could penurious be used to replace niggardly?

While in some cases nearly identical to niggardly, penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

When would stingy be a good substitute for niggardly?

The words stingy and niggardly can be used in similar contexts, but stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

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 niggardly
Adjective
Many Chileans are angry about the country’s unequal distribution of wealth and power, about niggardly pensions (for which people are supposed to save themselves) and about long waiting times for doctors’ visits and poor schools. The Economist, 25 Dec. 2019 To tap one of the country’s two largest and most niggardly mines is hard enough. The Economist, 3 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for niggardly
Adjective
  • Florida is the only state in the geographic Deep South with a higher minimum wage than the federal government’s miserly $7.25 an hour.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2025
  • With the arrival of pitchers and catchers, one of the coldest and miserly baseball offseasons in memory is nearing conclusion, and it can’t be understated that, other than the Dodgers, Yankees and Mets (on one player), hardly any team spent any money.
    Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Details of who makes up the DOGE staff have been scarce despite the intense media attention on the team's efforts.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
  • As a rule, if rain is scarce, a crepe myrtle needs two to three gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter per week.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2025
  • My 23-year-old BMW received the same careful attention as my brand new premium cars, and the PURE PPF now provides it with those same protective, anti-aging benefits. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn.
    Karl Brauer, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Narratives were sparse to nonexistent, with more than one person commenting after the screenings some of the films were closer to commercials than short films.
    Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Mar. 2025
  • In Central Texas, early bloomers are a bit sparse this year — but that leaves more room for later spring and summer flowers to thrive.
    Shafaq Patel, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Tell her to stop being stingy and pay for her own subscriptions.
    Karen Fratti, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Can Ole Miss make enough 3s to keep Iowa State’s stingy defense at bay?
    Tobias Bass, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Some have felt conflicted, but after decades without success and 14 years of soulless drudgery under Mike Ashley’s parsimonious ownership, many were willing to accept anything for the promise or even just the hope of better times.
    Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 19 Mar. 2025
  • His father was intensely parsimonious as well, and once tried to build a front fence by hammering bookshelves together.
    Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • We Americans get slandered around the world as a bunch of fat, lazy, selfish slobs.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Listen to this article For every selfish motorist who blocks a fire hydrant.
    Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Coleman remains one of his closest friends in football and is able to provide insight into the formative parts of his playing and coaching careers.
    Simon Hughes, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Since Sullivan’s arrest, there have been calls for a state-level investigation and a closer examination of its safety net for children, including homeschooling practices, around which there is little or no regulation, according to a 2018 Connecticut Office of the Child Advocate report.
    Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN, 23 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Niggardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/niggardly. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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