puny

adjective

pu·​ny ˈpyü-nē How to pronounce puny (audio)
punier; puniest
Synonyms of puny
: slight or inferior in power, size, or importance : weak
punily
ˈpyü-nə-lē How to pronounce puny (audio)
adverb
puniness
ˈpyü-nē-nəs How to pronounce puny (audio)
noun

Synonyms of puny

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Examples of puny in a Sentence

I wouldn't mess with him—he makes bodybuilders look puny in comparison. We laughed at their puny attempt to trick us.
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The losers will be SpaceX’s current shareholders that give up almost half their company for puny profits and big promises. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026 To achieve a similar impact, Johnson appears to be wearing a muscular silicone suit over his 6-foot-5 frame, but the extra padding just makes his head look puny. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026 For example, in another suit litigating the effects of social media on children, a jury settled in March on the comparatively puny figure of $6 million, distributed between Meta and YouTube. — David B McGarry, Oc Register, 8 July 2026 The magnitude of Prince Jacerys’s death was lost in the tumult of battle last week; compared to watching Vermax’s colossal frame be swallowed by the sea, the sight of a sinking boy, puny and fragile, struggled to pack a cinematic punch. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for puny

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French puisné younger, weakly, literally, born afterward, from puis afterward + né born

First Known Use

circa 1577, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of puny was circa 1577

Rhymes for puny

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Browse Nearby Words

Punuk
puny
punya
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Cite this Entry

“Puny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puny. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

puny

adjective
pu·​ny ˈpyü-nē How to pronounce puny (audio)
punier; puniest
: slight or lesser in power, size, or importance : weak
puniness noun
Etymology

from early French puisné "younger," literally, "born afterward," from puis "afterward" and né "born"

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