measly

adjective

mea·​sly ˈmēz-lē How to pronounce measly (audio)
ˈmē-zə-
measlier; measliest
1
: infected with measles
2
a
: containing larval tapeworms
b
: infested with trichinae
3
: contemptibly small

Examples of measly in a Sentence

She complained about being given such a measly raise. All I want is a few measly minutes of your time.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Scarlet won’t stand for that sexist nonsense and socks it to a measly prince who breaks off their weak engagement in front of a lot of people at a ball. Randy Myers, Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2025 Ellison’s wealth stands at $393 billion, surpassing Musk, who has a measly $385 billion, according to Bloomberg’s calculations. Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025 Expanding the Mac mini M4’s storage beyond the measly base 256GB SSD is eye-watering. Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025 In fact, their 263 puts them on trajectory to shatter the franchise record for the most measly production in a season, 586, held by, oof, the inaugural 1969 expansion team. Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for measly

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of measly was in 1598

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Measly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/measly. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

measly

adjective
mea·​sly ˈmēz-(ə-)lē How to pronounce measly (audio)
measlier; measliest
: so small or unimportant as to deserve scorn
left a measly nickel tip

Medical Definition

measly

adjective
mea·​sly ˈmēz-(ə-)lē How to pronounce measly (audio)
measlier; measliest
1
: infected with measles
2
a
: containing larval tapeworms
b
: infected with trichinae

More from Merriam-Webster on measly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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