# penurious

/ˌpɛnˈjuɹiəs/ (US) · CEFR C2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/penurious
Updated: 2026-09-29

## Definition

extremely poor or unwilling to spend any money. You use this to describe someone who has almost no money or someone who is very stingy.

For teachers: suffering from extreme poverty or exhibiting excessive frugality. Often carries a formal or literary tone when describing a person's financial state or character.

## Examples

- The penurious old man refused to buy new clothes.
- After the business failed, the family was forced to live a penurious existence in a small, unheated apartment.
- The novel depicts a protagonist whose penurious habits were born not of necessity, but of a deep-seated fear that his modest inheritance might vanish overnight.

## Synonyms

impecunious, penniless, pinched, parsimonious

## Usage notes

- Typically used as a predicative adjective after linking verbs like 'live' or 'become', or attributively before 'existence' or 'circumstances'.

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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.