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tightwad

tightwad

5 8.7
A person who does not like to spend money
  • noun
  • /ˈtaɪtˌwɑd/
  • Offensive
translation icon : tacaño
  • Harry, why do you have to be such a tightwad?
  • famous tightwad
  • old tightwad

Examples

  • Harris, the tightwad premier of Ontario, had closed or amalgamated many hospitals across the province.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • You should have heard that tightwad scream about the 50 cents interest charge."

  • Frank was a tightwad, and he didn't want to spend money on a newspaper or a television.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • We wouldn't cut a deal with you even if you weren't such a tightwad.

  • He calls himself a "conservationist"; others might call him a "tightwad."

    Blog text (30)
  • A co-worker introduced me to the Tightwad Gazette eons ago.

    Blog text (30)
  • Harry has a reputation for being a tightwad who never tips more than a dollar.

  • Despite his wealth, Mark is such a tightwad that he refuses to buy new clothes.

  • Most people avoid dining with Jane because she is known as a tightwad who always expects others to pay.

Synonyms

cheapskate
vstightwad
  • Offensive
13 7.0

A person who does not like to spend money

is the same sense without extra detail
miser
vstightwad
7 6.5

A person who keeps most of their money and refuses to spend it, even if they are rich

is about simple unwillingness to spend, not hoarding or living poorly
piker
vstightwad
  • Offensive
3 9.9

A person who does not want to spend money or take risks

focuses only on unwillingness to spend money, not on risk avoidance
scrooge
vstightwad
  • Offensive
2 8.5

A person who refuses to spend money or share with others

is focused on not spending rather than on refusing to share
cheapo
vstightwad
  • Offensive
1 9.3

A person who does not like to spend money

is the same sense expressed more generally
penny pincher
vstightwad
  • Informal
1 5.8

A person who spends very little money to save as much as possible

is a simpler term for general unwillingness to spend money
skinflint
vstightwad
  • Offensive
1 9.1

A person who does not like to spend money

is used for someone who is unwilling without extreme reluctance
pinchpenny
vstightwad
  • Offensive
1 9.8

A person who does not like to spend money

is less extreme in reluctance to spend money
cheapie
vstightwad
  • Offensive
8.3

A person who does not like to spend money

is the same sense but without the informal marker
scunge
vstightwad
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who does not like to spend money

is the general word for unwillingness to spend money

Antonyms

34 2.1

A person who often buys many things

How Stingy

miser
7 6.5
skinflint
  • Offensive
1 9.1
tightwad
  • Offensive
5 8.7
frugal
31 4.9
thrifty
10 4.4

Surface Forms

tightwad singular
tightwads plural

Morphology

tightwad = tight + wad (semi-transparent) = tight + wad

The compound 'tight' + 'wad' suggests someone who holds onto money, but 'wad' meaning a bundle of banknotes is colloquial and may not be known to all learners.

Etymology

Tightwad comes from two simple words: tight and wad, where wad means a 'bundle of money'. Picture someone holding their money tightly in their hand — that's why a tightwad is a person who refuses to spend money.