as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
offered her guest only one measly cookie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of measly
But the Democratic congressional leadership, with their measly 27 percent approval rating, managed to beat him to the bottom.
—
Gregory Wallance, The Hill, 6 May 2025
Game 2 is Wednesday at Paycom Center after another measly 48-hour reset period.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 5 May 2025
Now they’re done after managing one measly playoff win.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Audiences stayed on the ride, giving a film made on a measly $4.5 million budget a substantial $45.4 million worldwide take at the box office.
—EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for measly
Gregory Wallance, The Hill, 6 May 2025
Game 2 is Wednesday at Paycom Center after another measly 48-hour reset period.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 5 May 2025
Now they’re done after managing one measly playoff win.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Audiences stayed on the ride, giving a film made on a measly $4.5 million budget a substantial $45.4 million worldwide take at the box office.
—EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for measly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for measly
Adjective
-
Here’s why: Although technical specifications are still being worked out, the new standard could deliver nominal peak data rates of more than 40Gbps.—
Sarah Lord,
PC Magazine,
1 July 2025
-
In practice, that has resulted in the actual levies on imports often being lower than the nominal rate initially announced by the White House.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
And when detecting the artist approaching flow, the device would emit a subtle cue — a slight change in the sound of their instrument or the lighting — to give the brain a subconscious boost and thereby accelerate and enhance one’s immersion into flow.—
Brandon Sneed,
Rolling Stone,
6 July 2025
-
Similarly, Morning Consult's June 27 to 29 poll found 47 percent of respondents approved of Trump's job performance, with 50 percent disapproving—a slight improvement from May's 45 percent approval and 53 percent disapproval.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
One nautical mile west of Santorini, opposite the village of Oia and the caldera, lies the tiny island of Therasia, accessible via boat departing from Ammoudi Bay.—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
15 July 2025
-
The film community of Vancouver Island is tiny compared to the City of Vancouver’s Hollywood North hub.—
Jennie Punter,
Variety,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Actors Equity has for years sought relief, including via an expansion of the qualified performing artist deduction, something that is still limited to a paltry $16,000.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
3 July 2025
-
Above-normal temperatures combined with paltry precipitation levels have led to rapid snowmelts across the U.S. West — reducing water supplies for the spring and summer, federal meteorologists are warning.—
Sharon Udasin,
The Hill,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Measly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/measly. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share