1
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
a paltry, underhanded scheme to get someone fired
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
the hotel's shabby, outdated exercise room was its paltry attempt at a health spa
Synonyms & Similar Words
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3
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
just some paltry ruse to bilk the system
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
wanted me to sell him my old records for a paltry sum
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paltry
The larger residential dish puts up average download speeds of nearly 150Mbps, versus the paltry 16.5Mbps of the portable Starlink Mini. Upload speeds are closer, but only because the residential plan averages around 23Mbps, more than double the 9Mbps offered by the Mini.
—
PCMAG, 23 Mar. 2025
In 2021, women’s basketball players taking part in the NCAA Tournament documented on social media the disparities in how they were treated compared to the men, ranging from paltry weight rooms to meager gift bags.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 22 Mar. 2025
Sure, the Senate would add a comically paltry $2 million to bolster non-police crisis response teams.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2025
The Tar Heels' defense was suffocating against West Virginia, holding them to a paltry 13-for-54 (24.1%) from the field and just 2-for-21 (9.5%) from the 3-point line.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paltry
PCMAG, 23 Mar. 2025
In 2021, women’s basketball players taking part in the NCAA Tournament documented on social media the disparities in how they were treated compared to the men, ranging from paltry weight rooms to meager gift bags.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 22 Mar. 2025
Sure, the Senate would add a comically paltry $2 million to bolster non-police crisis response teams.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2025
The Tar Heels' defense was suffocating against West Virginia, holding them to a paltry 13-for-54 (24.1%) from the field and just 2-for-21 (9.5%) from the 3-point line.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paltry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paltry
Adjective
-
But the modern Democratic Party, rudderless and confused and reeling from a pitiful collective performance during Tuesday evening's presidential joint address to Congress, now confronts a fork in the road that's no joke.—
Newsweek,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
-
My performance was beyond pitiful today, and has been for a while now.—
Ryan Morik,
Fox News,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Defense stocks were once considered socially unacceptable investments, but fund managers are slowly changing tack as the sector has rallied in recent years.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Forcing Americans and small independent American companies to rely on those same tools is an unacceptable outcome of domestic legislation.—
Emma Woollacott,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Snow White gets a much more meaningful backstory The original Disney film begins with a few short sentences about how Snow White was forced to work as a scullery maid for her vile stepmother, the Queen.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA TODAY,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Newsweek's efforts to politicize the death of these individuals, including the reporter's request to confirm names and locations of death, are vile.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
For adults, the service would be available for a nominal fee.—
Federico Guerrini,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
-
These games will be purchasable standalone on the eShop and presumably at retail, or upgraded to for a nominal fee for existing owners of the game, much like how the PS5 handles its cross-gen upgrades.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
-
My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
-
There’s a real debate to be had about what responsibility better-off neighborhoods like Hyde Park have to help solve humanitarian problems that often are laid at the feet of poorer areas.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Apr. 2025
-
White House officials have downplayed the public’s concern for economic welfare amid poor projections for the U.S. market.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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His other performances included as Robert De Niro’s nasty henchman in Michael Mann’s Heat (1995); as Marlon Brando’s insane assistant in John Frankenheimer’s The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) and as the suave crook Simon Templar in Phillip Noyce’s The Saint (1997).—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2025
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The veteran forward took a nasty fall with 3:21 left in the fourth quarter, landed hard on his tailbone, and spent minutes down on the court surrounded by teammates and coaches.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The rear camera's OIS yields mostly smooth video, but there's some slight bumpiness here and there.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Dawn came on chilly with a slight overcast and a light breeze.—
Jeffrey A. Brunk,
Outdoor Life,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paltry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paltry. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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