miser

American  

[mahy-zer] / ˈmaɪ zər /

noun

1. a person who lives in wretched circumstances in order to save and hoard money.

2. a stingy, avaricious person.

   Synonyms:

   pinchpenny, tightwad, skinflint

3. Obsolete. a wretched or unhappy person.

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miser ¹ British  

/ ˈmaɪzə /

noun

1. a person who hoards money or possessions, often living miserably

2. selfish person

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miser ² British  

/ ˈmaɪzə /

noun

1. civil engineering a large hand-operated auger used for loose soils

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Etymology

Origin of miser

1535–45; < Latin: wretched

Example Sentences

“I’m a miser right now when it comes to what I’m spending at supermarkets,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 15, 2025

Dressed in ragged clothes, the Gloucester miser also chose to shun public transport to save his precious pennies.

From BBC • Dec. 6, 2023

A new four-episode podcast aims to show how Ebenezer Scrooge became the miserable miser of the Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol,” focusing on themes of redemption, mercy, grace and compassion.

From Washington Times • Nov. 27, 2023

The Tucson Plug-in is slightly less of a fuel miser but still relatively efficient.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 30, 2022

She’d even talked her brother into coming along; he was a miser and had a lot of money.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai