paltry

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Against Ireland a fortnight ago, England made 16 visits to the opposition 22, but returned with a relatively paltry 21 points.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

Such a paltry move, in the wake of a surprisingly strong U.S. monthly jobs report that hammered bets on Federal Reserve rate cuts, suggests a market that continues to search for direction.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

Natural population growth last year was a paltry 519,000, down from 1.1 million in 2017 and between 1.6 million and 1.9 million during the 2000s.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

Nearly all of the country’s paltry output in recent years had ultimately flowed there in largely black-market purchases, at a steep discount to global prices.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 24, 2026

A man answered, “Well, he was walking all the way from Grand Rapids to Hint, it looks like he provided a pretty paltry meal for every mosquito on the way.”

From "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis