scrimy

9.9

Unwilling to give money or things

adjective

Archaic

: tacaño

Despite his wealth, the landlord remained scrimy when it came to repairs.

Examples

Why are you so scrimy with your money?
The charity was disappointed by the scrimy donations from the local businesses.
Her scrimy attitude made her unpopular among her more generous friends.
He was too scrimy to donate to the charity.
The charity was disappointed by the scrimy donations from the local businesses.
Her scrimy attitude made her unpopular among her more generous friends.
He was too scrimy to donate to the charity.

Synonyms

cheap

vsscrimy

199 6.5

Not willing to spend money even when needed

is similar but centers on petty reluctance rather than causing embarrassment

stingy

vsscrimy

26 5.2

Not willing to spend money or give help to others

is similar but highlights smallness or pettiness in withholding

miserly

vsscrimy

3 7.9

Not willing to spend or give money even when they have enough

is similar but emphasizes petty reluctance rather than general ungenerosity

parsimonious

vsscrimy

2 9.9

A person who is unwilling to spend money and avoids buying things

is like that but less extreme in its frugality

tightfisted

vsscrimy

Offensive

1 8.0

A person who does not like to spend money

is similar but focuses more on pettiness than firm tight control

penny-pinching

vsscrimy

Informal

1 7.5

Not willing to spend much money

is similar but more about petty reluctance than routine saving

niggardly

vsscrimy

Archaic

1 9.9

Not willing to give or spend much money

is similar but frames the reluctance as petty rather than broadly mean

chintzy

vsscrimy

Informal

1 8.8

Not willing to spend money

is similar but focuses on pettiness rather than public unpleasantness

picayunish

vsscrimy

Archaic

1 9.9

Unwilling to spend money, even for small things

is similar but emphasizes pettiness and reluctance over general stinginess

penurious

vsscrimy

Formal

9.9

Not willing to spend money even when they have it

shares stinginess but is generally less severe or harsh

closefisted

vsscrimy

8.2

Not willing to spend or give money

is similar but stresses a more petty, small-scale reluctance

hardfisted

vsscrimy

Offensive

9.9

Not willing to spend or share money

is like that but implies petty reluctance rather than firmness

pinchpenny

vsscrimy

Offensive

9.2

Not willing to spend money, even for small things

is similar but emphasizes smallness of the refusal rather than habit

cheeseparing

vsscrimy

Archaic

9.9

Being very unwilling to spend money

is like that but suggests pettiness rather than systematic frugality

chinchy

vsscrimy

Offensive

9.9

Not willing to spend money or share costs

is similar but frames reluctance as petty rather than socially embarrassing

mingy

vsscrimy

Offensive

9.1

Not willing to give or share things, especially money

is similar but less informal and more about petty withholding

Antonyms

generous

328 1.6

Willing to give more than is expected, especially money or time

lavish

59 5.5

Rich and full of expensive things, like a large party or home

magnanimous

Formal

16 8.0

Being kind and generous when forgiving people who hurt you

How Stingy

miserly

3 7.9

stingy

26 5.2

scrimy

Archaic

9.9

frugal

31 4.9

generous

79 1.2

Surface Forms

scrimy positive

Morphology

scrimy = scrimp (transparent) = scrimp + y

Formed by adding the productive adjectival suffix '-y' to 'scrimp' (orthographic variant 'scrimpy'), so the meaning 'stingy' is directly derived.

Etymology

The word scrimy is a close cousin of the common word scrimp (and scrimpy), which comes from the idea of holding back money or goods, 'keeping back' what you have. So, scrimy means someone who is 'stingy' or reluctant to give.