Definitions

measly

[mee-zlee] / ˈmi zli /

ADJECTIVE

skimpy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

meager miserable miserly paltry pitiful puny

WEAK

beggarly contemptible insignificant mean niggling pathetic petty picayune piddling poor scanty stingy trifling trivial ungenerous unimportant valueless worthless

Antonyms

STRONGEST

big generous happy large liberal rich substantial wealthy

WEAK

abundant plenty proficient satisfactory sufficient

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

No whining about measly travel headaches with the mother of all bad-trip sagas looming on the big screen.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026

Is our celebration of a measly 250 years of continuous operation another example of American puffery?

From Slate • Jul. 4, 2026

After Manchester came Brighton, where Littler was dumped out at the quarter-final stage by Stephen Bunting with a measly 84 average.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

I have a friend—one measly friend—who’s sworn off Botox.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

Flopears had only a measly little square of hard salt-and-water corn bread in his pail that wouldn’t fill a wood tick.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Vocabulary lists containing measly

Red Kayak

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Merci Suárez Changes Gears

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The Distance Between Us

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