skimpier; skimpiest
: deficient in supply or execution especially through skimping : scanty
skimpily adverb
skimpiness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for skimpy

meager, scanty, scant, skimpy, spare, sparse mean falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable.

meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency.

a meager portion of meat

scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent.

supplies too scanty to last the winter

scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential.

in January the daylight hours are scant

skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency.

tacky housing developments on skimpy lots

spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity.

a spare, concise style of writing

sparse implies a thin scattering of units.

a sparse population

Examples of skimpy in a Sentence

the information in the user's manual for the microwave is skimpy and not particularly helpful
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Jones didn’t dress in skimpy tights or run around with a codename. Nola Pfau, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2025 In photos and videos shared to Instagram, the actresses, who both turn 60 this year, flaunted their toned figures in skimpy two-piece swimsuits while on vacation. Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 13 Apr. 2025 And there will be fewer jobs or skimpier paychecks moving goods, as well. Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025 The free, open to the public, co-ed tournament is sponsored by Elle Swimwear, so that means oodles of skimpy suits, obvio. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for skimpy

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of skimpy was in 1842

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Skimpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skimpy. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

skimpy

adjective
skimpier; skimpiest
: barely enough : scanty
skimpily adverb
skimpiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on skimpy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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