puny

[pyoo-nee]

adjective

punier, puniest 

1. of less than normal size and strength; weak.

2. unimportant; insignificant; petty or minor.

   a puny excuse.

3. Obsolete.,  puisne.

puny

/ ˈpjuːnɪ /

adjective

1. having a small physique or weakly constitution

2. paltry; insignificant

Other Word Forms

• punily adverb
• puniness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of puny¹

First recorded in 1540–50; spelling variant of puisne

Word History and Origins

Origin of puny¹

C16: from Old French puisne _puisne

Example Sentences

That's a contrast to most stadium concerts, where the message is more like: "Look upon me, puny mortals, and be astonished by my divine talents and somewhat improbable physique."

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Some senior Labour figures fret privately that their talk of "missions" and a "Plan for Change" might seem puny to many in comparison with the scale of that challenge.

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“Never did I see a less likely football prospect. Weak and puny.”

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Samuel has long been considered one of the top rushing threats among receivers, but this season he’s rushed 32 times for just 92 yards, a puny 2.9 yard average.

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Los Angeles had recently passed Chicago to become America’s second city, but it still felt far behind with its puny skyline, suburban sprawl and relative lack of cultural sophistication.

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Related Words

• feeble 
• frail 
• inconsequential 
• measly 
• paltry 
• tiny 
• trivial