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meagreness

meagreness

8.1
A very small amount of something that is not enough
  • noun
  • /ˈmiɡərnəs/
translation icon : escasez
  • The meagreness of his meal left him hungry for more.

Examples

  • She noticed the meagreness in his explanations.

  • Critics pointed out the meagreness of evidence presented at the trial.

  • Despite the meagreness of her resources, she managed to support her family.

  • The meagreness of the meal left everyone unsatisfied.

  • The meagreness of the meal left everyone feeling hungry after dinner.

  • Her meagreness of resources made it difficult for her to complete the project.

  • He was disappointed by the meagreness of the information provided in the report.

Synonyms

paucity
vsmeagreness
  • Formal
7 8.6

A small amount of something that is not enough

stresses general lack in quantity or richness rather than scarcity nuance
meagerness
vsmeagreness
  • US
1 7.0

A very small amount of something that is not enough

is identical in meaning but spelled differently
leanness
vsmeagreness
1 4.4

A small amount of something that is not enough

refers mainly to lack of fullness or richness rather than mere sparsity
poorness
vsmeagreness
1 5.3

A state of having low quality or too little of something

focuses mainly on amount and lack of richness rather than quality
scantness
vsmeagreness
7.7

A small amount of something that is not enough

is the broader state of lacking fullness or richness
scantiness
vsmeagreness
8.8

A small amount of something that is not enough

describes the same lack but as a general condition
exiguity
vsmeagreness
  • Formal
9.9

A very small amount that is not enough

is the neutral idea of lacking quantity or richness
measly amount
vsmeagreness
  • Informal
5.1

A very small amount that is not enough

expresses the general condition of lacking fullness or richness not just amount

Antonyms

91 3.3

A large amount of something, more than you need

4 3.2

A situation of having a lot of money or valuable things

A large amount of things or resources that is more than enough

How Meager

absence
216 2.1
dearth
16 8.5
meagreness
8.1
scarcity
29 4.4
shortage
253 2.7

Surface Forms

meagreness singular
meagrenesses plural

Morphology

meagreness = meagre (transparent) = meagre + ness

A straightforward nominalization of the adjective 'meagre' with the productive suffix '-ness', so the meaning is directly derived.

Etymology

Meagreness comes from the common English adjective meager, which comes from an old French word maigre meaning 'thin' or 'lean'. So, think of something thin or small — that's why meagreness means a lack of amount, fullness, or richness.