measly

[ mee-zlee ]

/ ˈmi zli /

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See synonyms for measly on Thesaurus.com

adjective, mea·sli·er, mea·sli·est.

Informal.

contemptibly small, meager, or slight: They paid me a measly fifteen dollars for a day's work.
wretchedly bad or unsatisfactory: a measly performance.

infected with measles, as an animal or its flesh.

pertaining to or resembling measles.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of measly

First recorded in 1680–90; measl(es) + -y¹

Words nearby measly

Mearns, meas., measle, measled, measles, measly, measurable, measure, measured, measured daywork, Measure for Measure

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use measly in a sentence

I frequently fell, smearing the mud on my skin across my clothes while fighting to maintain a measly one-mile-per-hour pace.
What Did I Learn from the Swampy Muck of the Florida Trail? That I’m a Kink Hiker.|Patty Hodapp|February 27, 2022|Outside Online
Home teams favored by three or more points don’t provide value, either, with a measly 22-22 record against the spread in that span.
NFL picks against the spread for the first round of the playoffs|Neil Greenberg|January 6, 2021|Washington Post
Emails obtained by VOSD attest to Manchester’s unhappiness over the deal and suggest he tried to spite the city in whatever measly way he could.
How the City Came to Lease a Lemon|Lisa Halverstadt and Jesse Marx|August 10, 2020|Voice of San Diego
One measly year later, Pam woke to find a naked Ewing grinning at her in the shower.
‘The Walking Dead’ Fans Demand: Bring Back Beth!|Melissa Leon|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

When he ran for the House of Burgesses in 1755, the father of our nation got a measly 40 votes.
Founding Fathers Loved Drunk Voters|Kevin Bleyer|November 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His profit margin on the quarter pounds he admitted to selling was a measly $200.
Preppy Drug Bust High on Hype|Christopher Moraff|April 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A tapestry like this was the ultimate luxury good and status symbol, worth so much more than a measly painting.
Unicorn, the Luxury Meat|Blake Gopnik|July 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST
His now infamous Twitter account has a measly 186 followers.
Who Wants To Be Prime Minister? Not Rami Hamdallah|Maysoon Zayid|June 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Mr. Slocum, did you ever hear o' me pointin' s'uth for home with only a measly four hundred barrel of ile in the hold?
Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays|Various
Dave Keeney, what boasts he's the best whalin' skipper out o' Homeport, comin' back with a measly four hundred barrel of ile!
Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays|Various
Nature can chase the measly savage fleeing naked through the bush.
The Iron Puddler|James J. Davis
And here we are yet, each perched on a measly old slippery rock, in the middle of the rapids.
The Outdoor Chums After Big Game|Captain Quincy Allen
That measly little tap of yours in the last round was certainly a soporific wallop.
The New Boys at Oakdale|Morgan Scott

British Dictionary definitions for measly

measly

/ (ˈmiːzlɪ) /

adjective -slier or -sliest

informal meagre in quality or quantity

(of meat) measled

having or relating to measles

Word Origin for measly

C17: see measles

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

measly

Origin of measly

Words nearby measly

Words related to measly

How to use measly in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for measly

Word Origin for measly