stingy
STIHND-zhee
Stingy (adj) means unwilling to spend, give, or share; miserly. Example: “He was too stingy to leave a decent tip.”
adj
1
Unwilling to spend, give, or share; miserly.
""Well, I'm doing my best to grow," said Davy, "but it's a thing you can't hurry much. If Marilla wasn't so stingy with her jam I believe I'd grow a lot faster.""
— Lucy Maud Montgomery (1909)
"He was too stingy to leave a decent tip."
2
Meager or insufficient in amount.
"The realization of this joint oppression is like discovering that the stingy crusts of bread being held out by society have mold on them."
— Charles Henry Fuller, Learning to Draw my Name (1985)
"The restaurant gave us a stingy portion for the price."
How to use stingy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUnwilling to give or spend, or too small in amount.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "stringy" (thin and fibrous, like meat).
Easily confused with
Common pairings
stingy with money
stingy portion
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Word forms
- Comparative
- stingier
- Superlative
- stingiest
Fill the gap
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He was too _____ to leave a decent tip.
Etymology
Possibly a dialect variant related to "sting", suggesting a sharp, ungenerous nature.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for stingy
See all rhymes for stingy →Frequently asked questions
What does “stingy” mean?
The word “stingy” means unwilling to spend, give, or share; miserly. In plain terms, unwilling to give or spend, or too small in amount.
How do you pronounce “stingy”?
“Stingy” is pronounced STIHND-zhee (/ˈstɪnd͡ʒi/ in IPA).
How do you use “stingy” in a sentence?
Here is “stingy” used in a sentence: “He was too stingy to leave a decent tip.”
What is another word for “stingy”?
Words with a similar meaning to “stingy” include as tight as Dick's hatband, cheap, cheeseparing, chintzy, close and close as wax.
What is the opposite of “stingy”?
The opposite of “stingy” — its antonyms — are wasteful, prodigal, profligate, spendthrift and generous.
What part of speech is “stingy”?
“Stingy” is an adjective.
How many meanings does “stingy” have?
“Stingy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: unwilling to spend, give, or share; miserly.
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