🤏 Extreme stinginess 💸 Extreme poverty

penuriousness

9.9

A situation in which someone has very little money

noun
/pəˈnjʊəriəsnəs/

: pobreza

The penuriousness of the times forced many families to seek assistance from local agencies.

Examples

His penuriousness made it difficult for him to enjoy life.
Despite his penuriousness, he carefully planned every purchase but still gave money to charity.
Her penuriousness was evident in her reluctance to spend even on necessities.
The penuriousness of the community was evident in their living conditions.
His penuriousness meant he rarely contributed to community events.
The family's penuriousness forced them to live in a small apartment with very few comforts.
She spoke about her experiences with penuriousness during the economic downturn.

Synonyms

poverty

vspenuriousness

584 2.0

A situation of having very little money and few things

adds a use meaning about unwillingness to spend rather than only lack

penury

vspenuriousness

2 9.7

A situation with almost no money and few basic things needed to live

also covers being unwilling to spend money rather than only lack

parsimony

vspenuriousness

1 9.9

A strong habit of not spending money or using resources

is ambiguous, also meaning actual poverty rather than only frugality

stinginess

vspenuriousness

1 6.8

A habit of not wanting to give or spend money

can instead describe having very little money rather than being mean

poorness

vspenuriousness

1 2.5

A situation when someone has little money and few belongings

also carries a sense about stingy behaviour, not just lack of money

neediness

vspenuriousness

1 4.6

Being very poor and not having basic things like food and shelter

can mean lack of money or mean unwillingness to give or spend

miserliness

vspenuriousness

1 8.2

Not wanting to spend money, even on small things you need

may mean that habit or a real lack of funds depending on use

pauperism

vspenuriousness

Formal

1 9.9

A state of being very poor with almost nothing

can instead point to a miserly attitude rather than only poverty

beggary

vspenuriousness

1 8.2

The state of being very poor and having to beg for money or food

covers that state but also can mean extreme unwillingness to spend

indigency

vspenuriousness

Formal

1 9.0

A lack of money for basic needs like food and shelter

is broader, also referring to extreme unwillingness to spend money

tightfistedness

vspenuriousness

Offensive

1 8.6

Being unwilling to spend money, even when needed

also applies to actual financial hardship rather than only choice

parsimoniousness

vspenuriousness

1 9.9

A strong dislike of spending money or using things

can instead refer to actual lack of money rather than stinginess

impecuniousness

vspenuriousness

1 9.9

A state of having little or no money

includes a second sense about being unwilling to spend money

tightness

vspenuriousness

Offensive

1 8.8

Not willing to spend money or give things to others

in contrast can denote real lack of money rather than mean behaviour

pennilessness

vspenuriousness

6.8

A situation when someone has no money

can instead mean being tight with money rather than absolute lack

Antonyms

wealth

575 1.3

A large amount of money and valuable things that a person or country owns

affluence

14 6.3

A lot of money and valuable things that a person or place has

How Poor

penuriousness

9.9

impoverishment

5 6.8

poverty

584 2.0

comfort

7 1.5

wealth

575 1.3

Surface Forms

penuriousness singular

penuriousnesses plural

Morphology

penuriousness = penurious (semi-transparent) = penury + ous + ness

Formed regularly by adding '-ness' to the adjective 'penurious' (itself formed from 'penury' + '-ous'), so the structural step is clear.

Etymology

The word penuriousness comes from the Latin penuria, which means 'lack' or 'shortage'. So penuriousness can mean the state of having very little money, in other words 'poverty'.