Miserly
mediumNegative toneMY-zer-lee
adjective
Definition
Of or characteristic of a miser; stingy and hoarding wealth
Memory hook
A MISER is always MISERABLE about spending money — miserly means extremely stingy.
Examples
“His miserly habits left him wealthy but friendless.”
“The miserly employer refused to give raises.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“His ______ habits left him wealthy but friendless.”
Show answer
miserly
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Miserly is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "parsimonious" or "tightfisted" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "generous".
Related GRE Words
closefisted
Unwilling to spend money; miserly
tightfisted
Not willing to spend or give much money; stingy
niggardly
Not generous; stingy (note: no racial connection despite sound)
stinting
Restrictive or ungenerous in giving or spending
frugal
Sparing or economical with regard to money or food
penurious
Extremely poor; poverty-stricken; also stingy
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