1
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
a paltry, underhanded scheme to get someone fired
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
the hotel's shabby, outdated exercise room was its paltry attempt at a health spa
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
just some paltry ruse to bilk the system
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
wanted me to sell him my old records for a paltry sum
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paltry
The Charlotte Hornets are now just 10 games away from the end of their regular season on April 12, which in recent seasons has meant that the crowds are paltry, the team is irrelevant and everyone is just ready to get the slog over with.
—
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
But the frequency with which these scams are occurring — spurred by the ease of making and disseminating AI music — suggests scammers aren’t exactly deterred by paltry royalty payouts.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
Forbes magazine reported that production costs for the latter film ballooned to more than $370 million, but its worldwide gross was a relatively paltry $206 million.
—René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
The paltry paycheck, apparently, didn’t factor at all into her decision.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paltry
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2026
But the frequency with which these scams are occurring — spurred by the ease of making and disseminating AI music — suggests scammers aren’t exactly deterred by paltry royalty payouts.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
Forbes magazine reported that production costs for the latter film ballooned to more than $370 million, but its worldwide gross was a relatively paltry $206 million.
—René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
The paltry paycheck, apparently, didn’t factor at all into her decision.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paltry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paltry
Adjective
-
Chilling moments like this are the lifeblood of The Dreamed Adventure, the moments that recall the pitiful last days of the dying communist era and the violent, mafia-style economics that whooshed in to replace them.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
22 May 2026
-
There’s a mentality problem — that’s highlighted by a pitiful return of just one point out of a possible 24 away from home this season against teams in the top nine.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
What types of answers are unacceptable?—
Prasad Maderamitla,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
If a tool creates unacceptable risk, districts should not use it.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
The abrupt shift into a more dramatic finale assumes an emotional connection to characters who may not be as outrageously vile as Duncan or Carl but who haven’t escaped the show’s jaundiced eye either.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
24 May 2026
-
The comment sections beneath those videos were frequently vile.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Israeli forces seized a 12th-century Crusader castle in southern Lebanon, as Israel intensifies its farthest incursion into the country in 26 years, despite a nominal ceasefire.—
Brendan Ruberry,
semafor.com,
31 May 2026
-
Achraf Hakimi, despite his nominal position, rarely plays on the right or at the back, and instead is often high and central as an extra midfielder and to provide the right-winger with underlapping runs.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
As lame as the fact that an Erewhon smoothie costs $19 is that so many of us need to be paid to be nice to each other.—
Swan Huntley,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
-
Santana tried to jump off the steps to clothesline Maclin but came up a bit lame.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
Common travel regrets stem from preventable issues like poor planning, budget problems, and choosing the wrong companions.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
O’Farrell’s inclination for narratives propelled by brutal coincidence and fatally poor timing tenders a Hardy-esque vision of the world, one that emphasizes the rigid, often cruel limits of an individual’s jurisdiction over the course of their life.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Flu season may be mostly behind us, but a nasty, highly contagious stomach bug is rising.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
-
Rhaenyra is suddenly dealing with internal criticism, possible rebellions, subjects spray-painting nasty stuff on the walls and self-doubt.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
The finish is short, with lingering notes of citrus, pepper, and a slight mineral edge.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
That slight tweak—far from the grandiose promise of political revolution—might find power in the voters’ verdict.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paltry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paltry. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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