1
2

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective penurious contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of penurious are close, miserly, niggardly, parsimonious, and stingy. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

Where would close be a reasonable alternative to penurious?

While the synonyms close and penurious are close in meaning, close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions.

folks who are very close when charity calls

When might miserly be a better fit than penurious?

While in some cases nearly identical to penurious, miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

When is it sensible to use niggardly instead of penurious?

Although the words niggardly and penurious have much in common, niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

In what contexts can parsimonious take the place of penurious?

The words parsimonious and penurious can be used in similar contexts, but parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

When can stingy be used instead of penurious?

The meanings of stingy and penurious largely overlap; however, stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of penurious Both album and turntable were all the rage, and the Technics was the first quality direct-drive turntable that a penurious college student could afford. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2024 There are resentful relatives, penurious relatives, conniving relatives, no relatives, and loved ones denied input because they are not related. Dan Barry, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 The book looks beyond Appalachia, concluding the regions in question had been exploited by single industries and white elites, paying poor wages with equally penurious working conditions. Ken Silverstein, Forbes, 13 Aug. 2023 When his sports career petered out, Thorpe kept hustling to make an increasingly penurious living. Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2022 See All Example Sentences for penurious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penurious
Adjective
  • According to sources, some felt the decision was selfish, but others thanked her for her longstanding contributions in person and online, and felt the way in which the situation had unfolded was very unfair to her.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 28 May 2025
  • Despite mixed emotions within his friend group, Reddit users were overwhelmingly on the poster's side, with many arguing that Jenna was being selfish.
    Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • Eagerly drinking the Kool-Aid is Simone DeWitt (Alcock), a formerly impoverished but deeply ambitious upstart from Buffalo who gets a taste of the lifestyle of the rich and famous as Michaela's uppity assistant.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • His father, a Presbyterian minister, was the executive director of the New York City Mission Society, a social-services nonprofit for impoverished children.
    Dwight Garner, New York Times, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • This thing is razor sharp though, be careful when using it in the backcountry.
    Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 25 May 2025
  • Momentum is a real thing within the postseason, and if the Thunder aren't careful, Minnesota could sneak back into this matchup.
    Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 May 2025
Adjective
  • The product was released in 2023 to a poor reception, and discontinued before the company began winding down operations in February.
    Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 24 May 2025
  • The original doesn’t go that deeply into it, but this poor girl was essentially forced to be a teen mom at this time in her life when all of her friends would be graduating high school and dating and thinking about their futures.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • What the greedy developers are trying to do burns me to no end.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 May 2025
  • The beloved ruler was supposed to care about the wellbeing of his people, but the noblemen beneath him were greedy and indifferent.
    David Hambling, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, countless others who chased hot tips and quick wins are broke, both financially and emotionally.
    Shane Enete, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
  • Image Set in Brooklyn in the summer of 2022, the action takes place in the apartment of Emmy, a playwright freshly cognizant of the danger of being too broke to afford health insurance.
    Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But, even though there was nothing the slightest bit ungracious or ungenerous about her performance, it was felt more like the audience being asked to come to her.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Perhaps most perplexing about Smash, though, is its weirdly cynical, ungenerous take on the Bombshell herself.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Lillian Feldman was born to impecunious Jewish emigres in Cincinnati on July 13, 1927, the twelfth of thirteen children who were encouraged by their mother to draw on the walls.
    News Desk, Artforum, 17 Oct. 2024
  • Among them is the sardonic confidant, St. Quentin; the down-at-the-heels military man, Major Brutt; and the impecunious, high-living chancer, Eddie.
    Washington Post, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2021

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Penurious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penurious. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!