Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective parsimonious contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of parsimonious are close, miserly, niggardly, penurious, and stingy. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

When could close be used to replace parsimonious?

While in some cases nearly identical to parsimonious, 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 parsimonious?

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

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

Where would niggardly be a reasonable alternative to parsimonious?

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

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

When would penurious be a good substitute for parsimonious?

The words penurious and parsimonious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

In what contexts can stingy take the place of parsimonious?

In some situations, the words stingy and parsimonious are roughly equivalent. However, stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

Examples 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 parsimonious And sometimes the truest, most parsimonious explanation is just kind of boring. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2024 That's probably why the recent program to observe the Crab emerged victorious in the stiff competition for JWST's precious observing time; the parsimonious prospect of solving two different mysteries with one set of observations is just the kind of thing scientists love. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2023 Serving Suggestions Giant cookies are, by nature, not meant for parsimonious consumption. Aleksandra Crapanzano, WSJ, 6 Dec. 2023 Hers was a parsimonious approach, leaving a good inch or inch-and-a-half of outer crust untouched by any ingredient. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 16 Oct. 2023 See all Example Sentences for parsimonious 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parsimonious
Adjective
  • After that, Buckley seemed more careful about positioning, doing his best to keep the action in the open while not allowing Covington to close in and work from the clinch.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
  • Behind, kids are hoisted — careful with that hot chocolate!
    Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The reinvention still follows the familiar beats of Scrooge's Christmas haunting: Three ghosts, each representing Christmas past (Andy Serkis), present (Charlotte Riley), and future (Jason Flemyng) show the miserly businessman the error of his ways.
    Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Smart Care can free up valuable storage space, an important function considering most Macs come with miserly amounts of storage.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • But that isn't the case here, as the Redditor said people are accusing them of being selfish for wanting to shut down the speech.
    Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
  • People who have selfish motivations often manipulate others and ignore boundaries.
    Sandro da Silva, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Some wonder what's wrong with American society; some see a wakeup call for greedy health insurers.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
  • Even as a single, childless woman, which society calls failure, my life always felt charmed, so charmed that asking God for more felt greedy.
    Essence, Essence, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Every year, a complacent, tightfisted city council turned down the recommendations.
    Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023
  • Kotick played the tightfisted owner of the Oakland A’s.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 31 May 2023
Adjective
  • The Biden administration began developing the guidance over the summer, aiming to provide the Trump team with a clear road map for tackling the increasingly tight relationships between some of the United States' biggest adversaries.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
  • The supply of labor is tight in meatpacking plants and the farming industry as a whole, says Cesar Escalante, a professor at the University of Georgia’s College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences.
    Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • How Brunson navigates physical, stingy opposing defenses this season will be critical in the Knicks’ pursuit of an elusive NBA title.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Valve has also been stingy with VR AAA titles, delivering only Half-Life: Alyx and leaving the industry waiting for the next bestseller title.
    Anshel Sag, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • But neither can anyone seriously accuse the United States of being ungenerous with its citizens’ lives and treasure or of having no ideals.
    Joshua Landis, Foreign Affairs, 19 Jan. 2016
  • This is the problem with the show: These women are just concocting reasons why the people on the other side suck, and it’s become the most uncharitable, the most ungenerous thing on Bravo.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 15 July 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Parsimonious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parsimonious. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

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