# meager

/ˈmiɡɝ/ (US) · /mˈiːɡɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/meager
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. small in amount

adjective · CEFR C1 · American English

very small in amount and usually not enough to satisfy a need.

For teachers: deficient in quantity or number; inadequate to meet a requirement.

- The family struggled to survive on a meager income of just a few dollars a day.
- The refugees were forced to subsist on meager rations of rice and clean water while they waited for the aid trucks to arrive.

### 2. poor in quality

adjective · CEFR C1 · American English

lacking richness, strength, or important qualities.

For teachers: deficient in substance, richness, or fertility; lacking in quality or value.

- The soil in this area is too meager to grow any healthy vegetables.
- The prosecution's case was based on meager evidence, leading many legal experts to predict an early acquittal for the defendant.

### 3. thin or lean

adjective · CEFR C2 · American English · Literary

having very little fat or flesh on the body.

For teachers: lacking flesh or bulk; thin or emaciated in physical appearance.

- The meager stray dog wandered the streets looking for scraps of food.
- His meager frame was a testament to the months of hardship he had endured during the long winter trek.

## Examples

- The hikers survived on meager rations of water and bread.
- Despite her meager salary, she managed to save enough money to travel abroad every few years.
- The historical record provides only a meager account of the event, leaving modern scholars to speculate about the true motivations of the participants.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.