Meaning & Definition of word "Tightwad"
Tightwad
/ˈtaɪt.wɑːd/
noun:
- 1. A person who is unwilling to spend money; a miser.
- Example: He's such a tightwad that he won't even buy coffee at work.
- 2. A person who is overly frugal or stingy.
- Example: Her tightwad nature means she always looks for coupons before shopping.
- 3. Someone who hoards money and avoids spending it.
- Example: His friends often joke that he’s a tightwad because he never treats anyone to dinner.
- 4. A derogatory term for someone with extreme thriftiness.
- Example: Don't be such a tightwad; sometimes you have to spend money to enjoy life.
Etymology
●The word 'tightwad' combines 'tight', meaning stingy or not willing to part with money, and 'wad', which refers to a lump or mass (of money).
Common Phrases and Expressions
penny-pinching:
Being stingy or reluctant to spend money.
living on a shoestring:
Living with a very small budget.
breaking the bank:
Spending all of one's money, often used in a negative context regarding extravagance.
Related Words
miserly:
Unwilling to spend or share money.
stingy:
Unwilling to give or spend; miserly.
cheap:
Inexpensive, but can imply that someone is unwilling to spend money.
Slang Meanings of tightwad
Meaning: Cheapskate
● Example Sentence: He's such a cheapskate; he wouldn't even buy a coffee.
Meaning: Skinflint
● Example Sentence: Being a skinflint, she never spends a dime on herself.