MEASLY Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

measly

adjective

ˈmēz-lē

Definition of measly

as in nominal

so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention offered her guest only one measly cookie

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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 measly While sunny Florida gets a measly 11% of its energy from solar and wind, which are now our cheapest sources of electricity, Texas is getting more than 30% of its energy from those sources. — David Jenkins, Sun Sentinel, 26 May 2026 One bag serves three hearty portions, or four measly ones. — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Apr. 2026 It can’t be helped that the foundation barely organized a study and sent one measly addiction specialist to the region. — Chicago Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026 Over the first five minutes, Texas went 2-for-5 from the field with two turnovers while mustering a measly four points. — Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for measly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for measly

Adjective

Not a crisis — yet The negative feedback loop becomes more dangerous when nominal economic growth falls to low levels, causing debt relative to the size of the economy to rise persistently, Reese said.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
The Iran war, forest fires and thunderstorms are all talking points this week as F1 gears up for a Bahrain GP held 3,750 miles (6,000 kilometers) away from its nominal host nation.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of nominal

Adjective

Valadao, a Republican from Hanford, has won the seat in six of the last seven elections despite the district’s slight Democratic tilt.

— Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
In their paper from September, Minzer and his colleagues proved a slight variant of Khot’s second conjecture that has nearly the same consequences.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of slight

Adjective

The country is mired in a war with Iran with no graceful exit opportunities; a new round of tariffs threatens to further disrupt fragile global trade relations; and the domestic economy faces inflation combined with paltry growth.

— Zachary Karabell, Washington Post, 21 Aug. 2026
Being paid a paltry second-line rate for the next six years is a bargain.

— Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Definition of paltry

Browse Nearby Words

meant

measly

measurable

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“Measly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/measly. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of measly

adjective

Example Sentences

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