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paltry

[pawl-tree] / ˈpɔl tri /


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.

But no candidate ever had much more than a paltry 20% support; for all the heavy breathing, the race was always pretty much a multi-candidate tie.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

If it returns a paltry 2% over the next 13 years, that child will graduate high school with $300,000—enough for college, trade school or a down payment on a home.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

Prisoners were allowed to slowly build up the paltry offerings of its libraries.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

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

The sales column for the last few months held paltry sums for curios and a few smaller pieces of furniture.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu




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