miser
Americannoun
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a person who lives in wretched circumstances in order to save and hoard money.
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a stingy, avaricious person.
- Synonyms:
- pinchpenny, tightwad, skinflint
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Obsolete. a wretched or unhappy person.
noun
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a person who hoards money or possessions, often living miserably
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selfish person
noun
Etymology
Origin of miser
1535–45; < Latin: wretched
Explanation
A miser is someone who hoards his or her own wealth and doesn’t share or spend any of it. If you remember the old saying “You can’t take it with you!” — then you won't end up acting stingy like a miser. The most famous fictional miser is probably Scrooge in Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. The image of his shivering with cold while he counts his coins illustrates the misery often associated with misers. To be a miser, your impulse to hoard means you won’t even indulge yourself by spending money for fear of depleting your stash.
Vocabulary lists containing miser
Scrooge, Grinch, and Churl: Wonderful Words for Unpleasant People
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"Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began" by Art Spiegelman
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A Room of One's Own
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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.
Derek Miser, chief managing member at Miser Wealth Partners, is normally a stockpicker, but uses specialized ETFs like the VanEck one.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
We both looked Jewish, I thought, but in different and perhaps opposing ways: Heat Miser vs.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 8, 2023
“The Year Without a Santa Claus” gave viewers the Heat Miser and the Snow Miser, with their memorable musical motif.
From Washington Post • Oct. 26, 2022
The Bear Cave was the brainchild of Nancy Miser, the former program manager for Fresno Unified’s special education department, who retired in 2017.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 29, 2022
Jessie heard Evan mutter, "Miser," just as she slammed the door in his face.
From "The Lemonade War" by Jacqueline Davies
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
