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.
Prisoners were allowed to slowly build up the paltry offerings of its libraries.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026
"It's a paltry sum when you think about the number of households on heating oil," he said.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 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
Any freelance journalist who finds herself despairing over the paltry rates that today’s assigning editors are offering might want to familiarize herself with Fanny Fern before her next negotiation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026
"Catchpenny rogues! I will not be exchanged for such a trifle. My mere weight? A paltry treasure you could carry on a shoulder? How dare you insult me!"
From "The Whipping Boy" by Sid Fleischman
Vocabulary lists containing paltry
"The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe
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Paltry Parlance: Synonyms for "Few"
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The Odyssey
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