as in small
of a size that is less than average
a puny, wrinkled apple
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Recent Examples of puny
And unlike most electrics that try their best to look the part but offer relatively puny power figures, the STRiX boasts impressive horsepower figures in addition to the high torque that comes as a byproduct of electric motors.
—
New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
By contrast, the G-Wiz is comparatively puny.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 11 Mar. 2026
Steve Rogers grows up in Brooklyn as a puny but resolute child.
—Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026
Effectively a heavy qaudracycle, the original model offered a puny 17 horsepower (13 kW).
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for puny
New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
By contrast, the G-Wiz is comparatively puny.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 11 Mar. 2026
Steve Rogers grows up in Brooklyn as a puny but resolute child.
—Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026
Effectively a heavy qaudracycle, the original model offered a puny 17 horsepower (13 kW).
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for puny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puny
Adjective
-
Its gibbous disk appears small and featureless.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
-
Trump has signed executive orders to reduce housing regulatory burdens and help smaller banks provide mortgages.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
There’s depth there and the current roster basically consists of Drake London, diminutive old friend Olamide Zaccheaus and inconsistent field stretcher Jahan Dotson.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Earthy, moody colors cosset wellness-seekers in the treatment rooms, making way for organic cream hues in the diminutive swimming pool.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Generally, the Hilton hotel, where the dinner has taken place for years, remains open to regular guests during the correspondents’ dinner, and security has typically been focused on the ballroom and rather than the hotel at large, with little screening for people not entering the dinner itself.—
Collin Binkley,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Security has typically been focused on the ballroom — rather than the hotel at large — with little screening for people not entering the dinner itself.—
Bridget Byrne,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
What last Friday’s 5-0 win away to Sunderland might have done for Pereira is give him just a tiny bit more freedom; the opportunity to go slightly stronger with his team selections in these two games against Villa, either side of a still-vital trip to Chelsea on Monday.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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The technique used to measure the singularities’ velocity could open the door to studying other tiny, fast phenomena in physics, chemistry and biology—or perhaps to find new ways to encode quantum information in materials, according to the researchers.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Puny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puny. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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