What does meagerest mean?
Meagerest is the superlative of meager, meaning smaller, poorer, or less plentiful than anything else in a comparison. It is especially common with nouns such as resources, allowance, evidence, food, and support, where it emphasizes that the quantity available is insufficient for the need. Although the word can literally describe the thinnest or least substantial of several things, its figurative use is much more frequent: a meagerest meal suggests deprivation, while meagerest evidence suggests that there is barely enough proof to support a conclusion. The expression has a distinctly formal or literary tone, so in ordinary conversation a writer might choose “scantiest” instead. The word remains useful because it captures not merely a small quantity but the sharpest possible contrast—something that is less ample than even an already limited alternative.
adjectiveThe superlative of meager: having the least amount, size, extent, or quality. It most often describes resources, food, evidence, or support that are insufficient or sparse.
- Smallest or least in amount, extent, or sufficiency.
- Thinnest or most deficient in physical substance or nourishment.
"The expedition had the meagerest provisions for a journey through the mountains."
"The witness offered the meagerest account of what had happened."
"Survivors received the meagerest portions of food and water."
Latin macer meant “thin or lean”; English turned that physical frailty into the figurative idea of scarcity.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
How meagerest is actually used
Literary and formal in tone, although especially common in journalism and historical writing. It conveys insufficiency or poor quality more often than literal thinness.
Easily confused with meagerest
Meagre is the standard British spelling of the same word and does not represent a separate meaning.