meager

/'mi:gə/ Cách viết khác : (meagre) /'mi:gə/

Definition

Adjective:
- Deficient in amount, quantity, or richness: Describes something that is less than what is needed, desired, or expected, often implying a bare minimum or insufficiency.
- Thin or lean: Can describe a person or animal that is very thin, often to the point of appearing undernourished.

Usage and Examples

Describing insufficient amount or quality:
- The refugees survived on a meager diet of bread and water.
- After the budget cuts, the department had only meager resources to complete the project.
Describing a thin physical appearance:
- The stray dog looked meager and hungry. (This usage is less common in modern English than the first meaning.)

Advanced Usage and Nuances

"Meager" vs. "Scant": Both imply insufficiency. "Meager" often suggests something is pitifully or disappointingly small (e.g., ), while "scant" emphasizes something is barely sufficient or barely enough (e.g., ).
"Meager" often carries a negative connotation of inadequacy and can evoke a sense of pity or disappointment.
- He made a meager attempt to apologize. (Suggests the apology was weak and insufficient.)

Variants and Related Words

Meagerly (adverb): In a meager manner; scantily.
- The room was meagerly furnished with just a bed and a chair.
Meagerness (noun): The state or quality of being meager.
- The meagerness of the evidence led to the case being dismissed.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Idioms and Common Phrases

A meager existence: A life lived with the bare minimum of resources or comforts.
- For years, the family eked out a meager existence on the farm.
Meager pickings: A very small or unsatisfactory amount of something to be shared or gained.
- After the early shoppers finished, there were only meager pickings left at the sale.

Adjective

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