penny-wise
Britishadjective
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greatly concerned with saving small sums of money
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careful about trifles but wasteful in large ventures
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.
However, penny-wise, profit-driven developers want homes closer together on narrow streets that allow for more buildings.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 20, 2023
Ms Devlin added the move is a "penny-wise and pound-foolish approach to workforce".
From BBC ● May 15, 2023
Allowing near-term inflation fears to undermine longer-term investments would be penny-wise and just plain foolish.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 26, 2021
“Front-line corrections staff are concerned that closing state prisons will prove to be penny-wise and pound-foolish,” they said.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 28, 2021
A Local Board came into existence, and with much hesitation and penny-wise economy inaugurated drainage works.
From The New Machiavelli by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
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.
