adj
miserly
MEYE-zuh-lee
Miserly (adj) means unwilling to spend money even when it would be reasonable to. Example: “His miserly landlord refused to fix the broken heater.”
adj
1
Unwilling to spend money even when it would be reasonable to.
"His miserly landlord refused to fix the broken heater."
How to use miserly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishStingy with money.
Common pairings
a miserly amount
miserly with money
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like miserly.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Comparative
- more miserly
- Superlative
- most miserly
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
His _____ landlord refused to fix the broken heater.
Etymology
From miser + -ly, in use since the 1540s.
Class of 1540
miserly joined the language around 1540.
See the full Class of 1540 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for miserly
See all rhymes for miserly →Frequently asked questions
What does “miserly” mean?
The word “miserly” means unwilling to spend money even when it would be reasonable to. In plain terms, stingy with money.
How do you pronounce “miserly”?
“Miserly” is pronounced MEYE-zuh-lee (/ˈmaɪ.zəɹli/ in IPA).
How do you use “miserly” in a sentence?
Here is “miserly” used in a sentence: “His miserly landlord refused to fix the broken heater.”
What part of speech is “miserly”?
“Miserly” is an adjective.
Where does the word “miserly” come from?
The word “miserly” dates back to around 1540. From miser + -ly, in use since the 1540s.
