Parsimony

hard

PAR-suh-moh-nee

noun

Definition

extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources; stinginess

Examples

His legendary parsimony meant the office never had even a working coffee machine.
Such parsimony in research funding left the lab unable to replace broken equipment.

Synonyms

stinginessfrugalitymiserlinesspenny-pinching

Antonyms

generosityextravaganceprodigalitylargesse

Categories

GRE Tip

Parsimony is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "stinginess" or "frugality" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "generosity".

Related GRE Words

Master parsimony and 1,000+ GRE words

Learn through stories, practice with real GRE questions, and never forget with spaced repetition.