Meaning & use

measly

adjective·Everyday

Ridiculously small, meager, or inadequate in amount, especially when more was expected or deserved.

See it in a sentence

He complained about the measly raise he received after two years of extra work.

They were given a measly portion of food that barely satisfied one person.

A note on using this word

Measly is informal and carries a tone of disappointment or complaint; it is rarely used in neutral or formal writing.

Words with a similar meaning

meagerpaltryscant

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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