What does meagerly mean?
Meagerly is an adverb meaning in a thin, insufficient, or scanty manner. It is commonly used with verbs such as furnished, stocked, equipped, funded, or supplied to indicate that the resources available were inadequate or limited. It can also describe subtle or restrained behavior, as in a meagerly perceptible smile or nod, though this use is less frequent and more literary. The adverb conveys more than simply "slowly" or "quietly": its central implication is insufficiency, whether of food, funding, support, evidence, expression, or another resource. Meagerly is less common than its base adjective, meager, but remains useful in formal prose when the adverbial form is needed. In British English, the related spelling "meagrely" is generally preferred.
adverbIn a meager, insufficient, or scanty manner; in small or inadequate amounts.
- In a manner characterized by a lack of quantity, quality, adequacy, or resources.
"The library's shelves were meagerly stocked with new books."
"The research was meagerly funded and had to be completed within a limited time."
"He meagerly nodded in response, offering little indication of agreement."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does meagerly come from?
The adverb derives from the adjective meager, which comes through Old French from the Latin macer, meaning "lean," "thin," or "scanty." The modern English adjective developed figurative senses involving poverty, scarcity, and inadequate size or quality. The adverbial suffix -ly was added in the usual way to form "meagerly" from that adjective.
Related word forms
How meagerly is actually used
Formal and relatively uncommon; it is most natural when describing small quantities, inadequate provisions, or restrained behavior. The spelling "meager" is standard in American English, while "meagre" is more common in British English.