paltrier; paltriest
2
: mean, despicable
a paltry trick
3
: trivial
a paltry excuse
they in their greatness don't have to bother with such paltry restrictions—
Vanessa Feltz
Vanessa Feltz
paltriness
noun
Did you know?
Before "paltry" was an adjective, it was a noun meaning "trash." That now obsolete noun in turn came from "palt" or "pelt," dialect terms meaning "a piece of coarse cloth," or broadly, "trash." The adjective "paltry" first meant "trashy," but currently has a number of senses, all generally meaning "no good." A "paltry house" might be run-down and unfit for occupancy; a "paltry trick" is a trick that is low-down and dirty; a "paltry excuse" is a trivial one; and a "paltry sum" is small and insufficient.
Synonyms
Examples of paltry in a Sentence
a paltry, underhanded scheme to get someone fired
the hotel's shabby, outdated exercise room was its paltry attempt at a health spa
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite the idea that some conservatives attempted to advance, Blacks comprised a paltry 4 percent of DEI positions in the workplace.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
Your savings Most people with savings accounts at the biggest banks settle for paltry returns on their money — the national average interest rate on savings accounts is just 0.55%, according to Bankrate.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 29 Jan. 2025
Comparing to another small sample — his 360 minutes in Qatar — his duel win rate dropped from 61% to 53%; his ‘true’ tackle win rate fell from a robust 64.7% to a paltry 37.5%.
—Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
Although artists such as Taylor Swift and Neil Young have temporarily removed their music from Spotify—Swift pressed the company over its paltry royalty rates, while Young was protesting its nine-figure deal with the divisive podcaster Joe Rogan—defying the streamer comes with enormous risks.
—Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
Your savings Most people with savings accounts at the biggest banks settle for paltry returns on their money — the national average interest rate on savings accounts is just 0.55%, according to Bankrate.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 29 Jan. 2025
Comparing to another small sample — his 360 minutes in Qatar — his duel win rate dropped from 61% to 53%; his ‘true’ tackle win rate fell from a robust 64.7% to a paltry 37.5%.
—Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
Although artists such as Taylor Swift and Neil Young have temporarily removed their music from Spotify—Swift pressed the company over its paltry royalty rates, while Young was protesting its nine-figure deal with the divisive podcaster Joe Rogan—defying the streamer comes with enormous risks.
—Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for paltry
Dictionary Entries Near paltry
Cite this Entry
“Paltry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paltry. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
paltry
adjective
pal·try
ˈpȯl-trē 
paltrier; paltriest
1
: petty sense 3, mean
a paltry trick
2
: trivial sense 2, worthless
a paltry sum
paltriness
noun
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