Stingy — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈstin-jē/ stin·gy

Meaning & Definition of Stingy

Stingy (adjective)

  1. not generous or liberal, sparing or scant in using, giving, or spending
  2. meanly scanty or small

Stingy (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. giving or sharing as little as possible

    "until his redemption, Ebenezer Scrooge is the classic example of a very stingy, heartless miser"

    similar: cheap, chintzy, close, closefisted, mean, mingy, miserly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, penurious, pinching, pinchpenny, spare, sparing, stinting, tight, tightfisted, uncharitable, ungenerous
    related: careful, chary, conserving, economical, economizing, frugal, saving, scrimping, skimping, thrifty, acquisitive, avaricious, avid, coveting, covetous, desirous, grasping, greedy, hoggish, itchy, mercenary, rapacious, selfish, shabby, small, sordid, begrudging, envious, grudging, resentful, inhospitable
    opposite: bounteous, bountiful, charitable, freehanded, generous, liberal, munificent, openhanded, unsparing, unstinting
    near: altruistic, selfless, unselfish, extravagant, free, handsome, lavish, overgenerous, profuse, beneficent, benevolent, hospitable, humanitarian, philanthropic, compassionate, good-hearted, greathearted, kindly, magnanimous, openhearted, thriftless, unthrifty, dissipating, frittering, prodigal, profligate, spendthrift, splurging, squandering, wasteful, wasting

  2. less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable

    "a stingy serving of mashed potatoes"

    similar: exiguous, hand-to-mouth, light, meager, poor, scant, scanty, scarce, skimp, skimpy, slender, slim, spare, sparing, sparse, thin on the ground
    related: deficient, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, short, wanting, bare, bare-bones, least, littlest, lowest, mere, minimal, slightest, slight, small, thin, barren, infertile, sterile, unfruitful, unproductive
    opposite: abundant, ample, bountiful, copious, generous, liberal, plenteous, plentiful
    near: adequate, enough, satisfactory, sufficient, tolerable, fat, fecund, fertile, fruitful, prolific, rich, lavish, luxuriant, blooming, bursting, flourishing, proliferative, swarming, teeming, thriving, excess, extra, surplus

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Stingy

The most common words with a similar meaning to Stingy:

cheap, chintzy, close, closefisted, mean, mingy, miserly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, penurious, pinching, pinchpenny, spare, sparing, stinting, tight, tightfisted, uncharitable, ungenerous, exiguous, hand-to-mouth, light, meager, poor, scant, scanty, scarce, skimp, skimpy, slender, slim, sparse, thin on the ground

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Stingy

Words with the opposite meaning of Stingy:

bounteous, bountiful, charitable, freehanded, generous, liberal, munificent, openhanded, unsparing, unstinting, abundant, ample, copious, plenteous, plentiful

Related Words for Stingy

careful, chary, conserving, economical, economizing, frugal, saving, scrimping, skimping, thrifty, acquisitive, avaricious, avid, coveting, covetous, desirous, grasping, greedy, hoggish, itchy, mercenary, rapacious, selfish, shabby, small, sordid, begrudging, envious, grudging, resentful

Near Antonyms of Stingy

altruistic, selfless, unselfish, extravagant, free, handsome, lavish, overgenerous, profuse, beneficent, benevolent, hospitable, humanitarian, philanthropic, compassionate, good-hearted, greathearted, kindly, magnanimous, openhearted, thriftless, unthrifty, dissipating, frittering, prodigal, profligate, spendthrift, splurging, squandering, wasteful

Word Forms of Stingy

Inflections: stingier, stingiest

Derived words: stingily (adverb), stinginess (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Stingy

perhaps from English dialect *stinge, noun, sting; akin to Old English stingan to sting

First known use: 1659

Frequently Asked Questions about Stingy

What does "Stingy" mean?

"Stingy" means not generous or liberal, sparing or scant in using, giving, or spending. As an adjective, it is defined as: not generous or liberal, sparing or scant in using, giving, or spending. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Stingy"?

Other words for "Stingy" include cheap, chintzy, close, closefisted, mean, mingy, miserly and parsimonious. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Stingy" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Stingy"?

There are 85 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Stingy". Common alternatives include cheap, chintzy, close, closefisted, mean, mingy, miserly, parsimonious, penny-pinching and penurious.

What is the opposite of "Stingy"?

Antonyms of "Stingy" include bounteous, bountiful, charitable, freehanded, generous, liberal, munificent and openhanded. Near antonyms include altruistic, selfless, unselfish and extravagant.

How do you use "Stingy" in a sentence?

Examples of "Stingy" in a sentence: "until his redemption, Ebenezer Scrooge is the classic example of a very stingy, heartless miser"; "a stingy serving of mashed potatoes".

Is "Stingy" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Stingy" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Stingy"?

"Stingy" is pronounced /ˈstin-jē/ and divided into syllables as stin·gy.

What is the origin of the word "Stingy"?

"Stingy" comes from perhaps from English dialect *stinge, noun, sting; akin to Old English stingan to sting. First known use: 1659.