18 Other Ways to Say Meager (With Examples)

Finding other ways to say meager can make your writing sound fresher and more precise. The word meager means too small in amount, quality, or strength, and it appears in essays, reports, reviews, and everyday conversation. Repeating it in every sentence can make your writing feel flat, especially when a little portion leaves everyone still hungry. The right alternative depends on your tone, so this guide groups 18 choices into casual, formal, and vivid options, each with a definition and an example sentence.

In this guide, you will find 18 handpicked alternatives to “meager,” each with a clear definition and an example sentence. Use them to sound sharper in essays, reviews, reports, and everyday conversation. You can also explore our guide to other ways to say “a few” for words that describe small numbers.

In this guide

1. Casual ways to say “meager”
2. Formal and professional alternatives
3. Vivid and descriptive words
4. Quick comparison: which word should you use?
5. Frequently asked questions

Casual ways to say “meager”

• 1. Tiny – very small in size or amount. She gave him a tiny slice of cake.
• 2. Skimpy – too small or too little, often in a stingy way. The skimpy lunch left us hungry by mid-afternoon.
• 3. Paltry – a disappointingly small amount. He earned a paltry sum for a full week of work.
• 4. Measly – so small that it feels almost insulting. They offered a measly pay rise after a record year.
• 5. Piddling – too small to matter much. The piddling amount of rain did nothing for the dry fields.
• 6. Slim – small in amount, with little to spare. Our chances look slim after the second defeat.

Formal and professional alternatives

• 7. Scant – falling short of what is wanted or needed. Scant rainfall left the reservoir lower than usual.
• 8. Scanty – not enough in amount, quantity, or extent. The crew had scanty supplies for the long winter.
• 9. Sparse – thinly spread, with too few units to fill the space. A sparse crowd watched the match in the rain.
• 10. Insufficient – not enough to meet a need or a standard. The funding was insufficient to finish the project.
• 11. Inadequate – not good enough in amount or quality. The inadequate lighting made the room hard to work in.
• 12. Deficient – lacking something important, often a nutrient or a quality. The diet was deficient in fresh fruit and vegetables.

Vivid and descriptive words

• 13. Lean – thin and without extra fat, food, or money. The family lived on a lean budget through the winter.
• 14. Spare – with nothing extra, only what is barely needed. He wrote in a spare style, with short, plain sentences.
• 15. Slender – small and thin, often in a graceful or slight way. Her slender hopes faded after the final interview.
• 16. Token – so small that it is only symbolic. The company offered a token bonus that pleased nobody.
• 17. Exiguous – extremely small, barely enough to count. The exiguous harvest could not feed the village through winter.
• 18. Stinted – limited on purpose, given in small amounts. The stinted portions left every guest asking for more.

Quick comparison: which word should you use?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best synonym for “meager” in formal writing?

“Scant” and “insufficient” are the safest formal choices, because both point to a clear shortfall without adding emotion. “Sparse” suits thinly spread things like crowds or details, while “deficient” works when something important is missing. For a formal phrase built on a similar idea, see our guide to other ways to say “a lack of”.

Is “skimpy” the same as “meager”?

Nearly. “Skimpy” often suggests stinginess, as if someone held back on purpose, while “meager” simply means too little. A skimpy meal feels ungenerous, but a meager harvest may just come from a dry season. A guide to saying meager lists the same formal and informal options, so check it if you want more wording ideas. If you want words for small numbers, see our guide to other ways to say “a few”.

Can I use “paltry” in an essay?

Yes, when you want to stress disappointment with a small amount. “Paltry” carries a judgment, so it suits reviews, opinion pieces, and persuasive essays. In a neutral report, pick “insufficient” or “scant” instead, because they state the fact without the attitude. To describe the opposite, a large amount, explore our guide to other ways to say “many”.

Final thoughts

The right synonym for “meager” depends on your audience and tone. Keep casual words like “tiny” and “skimpy” for conversation, lean on “scant” and “insufficient” in professional writing, and save vivid words like “exiguous” and “lean” for moments that deserve weight. Save this guide for your next essay, review, or report, and you will never stare at a bland sentence again. When you need words for small numbers, explore our guide to other ways to say “a few”.