paltry
Americanadjective
-
ridiculously or insultingly small.
a paltry sum.
- Synonyms:
- insignificant, slight, inconsiderable, minor
-
utterly worthless.
-
mean or contemptible.
a paltry coward.
adjective
-
insignificant; meagre
-
worthless or petty
Related Words
See petty.
Other Word Forms
- paltrily adverb
- paltriness noun
- unpaltry adjective
Etymology
Origin of paltry
First recorded in 1560–70; from Low German paltrig “ragged,” equivalent to *palter “rag” ( dialectal German Palter ) + -ig -y 1
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.
Many resorts were struggling to remain open due to the paltry precipitation so far this year.
From Los Angeles Times
Considering doomsday prophecies from a podcast with a paltry 68 total star ratings on Spotify is one thing, but believing them is another entirely.
From Salon
The previous year’s growth was slightly larger but still paltry at 0.58%.
From Los Angeles Times
A long-running survey of consumer sentiment registered a paltry 52.9 in December, the University of Michigan said Friday, leaving it near a record low.
From MarketWatch
He and many other residents believe the power company’s current offering is a paltry sum that will cover only a fraction of what they lost.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
