measly pay

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "measly pay" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a salary or wage that is considered very low or inadequate. Example: "After years of hard work, I was disappointed to receive such measly pay for my efforts."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

What rankled was the measly pay they received from the British government – a shilling a day, worth about four cigarettes on the black market back in camp.

Independent

You were employed to do the best you could, and it was assumed that you would do exactly that without reward beyond the (rather measly) pay cheque.

The Guardian

BACK when times were better and the newspaper industry wasn't fighting for dear life, reporters at the Cleveland Plain Dealer would regularly grumble at the measly pay increases their union negotiated.

The Economist

But for the apprentice putting up with measly pay or the undergraduate coughing up thousands of pounds in fees, there has to be more hope that their heavy investment will pay off.

The Guardian

Toni Pearce, president of the National Union of Students said: "It's clear that the continuing pay dispute, over the measly pay offer to staff made by vice chancellors who are receiving pay raises of 8%, now risks causing significant disruption.

The Guardian

NUS president, Toni Pearce, said: "It's clear that the continuing pay dispute, over the measly pay offer to staff made by vice-chancellors who are receiving pay raises of 8%, now risks causing significant disruption".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

They pay measly rates of interest to their depositors and charge higher rates to people who want to borrow from them.

The New York Times

They are also helped by the fact that they operate in a bit of an oligopoly and can thus pay measly rates on deposits.Yet their high capital ratios may also play a role.

The Economist

The anxiety of undocumented immigrants to make enough money without getting caught also clouds every frame of Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou's "Take Out". This day-in-the-life movie follows a Chinese deliveryman on his frantic struggle to scrounge up the funds — through loans and measly tips — to pay off the smugglers who brought him to the United States.

The New York Times

Meanwhile, the Journal's front-line reporters got a measly 2.7% pay rise and were told to start taking their own photographs.

The Guardian - Business

So it also was that Frederick's New Westminster Brewery Company was absorbed by the Lion Brewing Company in July 1914, just in time for a surge in demand for beer as soldiers farewelled their loved-ones and as millions of men in uniform found that drink was one of the few luxuries which they could spend their measly service pay on.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing compensation, use "measly pay" to convey a sense of unfairness or disappointment in the amount received. For example: "Despite his hard work, he was given a "measly pay" raise."

Common error

Avoid using "measly pay" in formal business contexts where a more neutral term like "low compensation" is more appropriate. While "measly" is understood, it can sound unprofessional.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "measly pay" functions as a modifier + noun construction, where "measly" serves as an adjective modifying the noun "pay". It's primary function is to express a negative evaluation of the pay amount, as seen in Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Formal & Business

17%

Science

16%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "measly pay" is a grammatically correct and usable expression to describe compensation considered inadequate or unfairly low. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's most commonly found in News & Media, expressing dissatisfaction with the amount received. While generally acceptable, it's important to consider the context; in formal business settings, alternatives like "low compensation" may be more appropriate. By understanding its nuances and intended effect, you can effectively use "measly pay" to convey a sense of disappointment or contempt toward inadequate compensation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

paltry wages

Replaces "pay" with "wages" and "measly" with "paltry", both indicating a small amount.

insignificant earnings

Substitutes "pay" with "earnings" and "measly" with "insignificant", emphasizing the lack of value.

meager income

Replaces "pay" with "income" and "measly" with "meager", conveying a sense of scarcity.

low compensation

Uses a more formal term, "compensation", instead of "pay", while "low" replaces "measly" to denote inadequacy.

poor remuneration

Employs a more formal register with "remuneration" instead of "pay" and "poor" for "measly".

small salary

Replaces "pay" with "salary" and "measly" with "small" to indicate the low monetary value.

inadequate payment

Substitutes "pay" with "payment" and "measly" with "inadequate", stressing the insufficiency.

trifling wages

Replaces "pay" with "wages" and "measly" with "trifling", implying the compensation is almost worthless.

scanty earnings

Uses "earnings" instead of "pay" and "scanty" instead of "measly", both suggesting a limited amount.

piddling income

Replaces "pay" with "income" and "measly" with "piddling", indicating the compensation is insignificant and contemptible.

FAQs

How can I use "measly pay" in a sentence?

You can use "measly pay" to express dissatisfaction with a low amount of compensation. For example: "After all that overtime, I only received a "measly pay" check."

What are some alternatives to "measly pay"?

You can use alternatives like "paltry wages", "insignificant earnings", or "low compensation", depending on the specific context and desired tone.

Is "measly pay" appropriate for formal writing?

While "measly pay" is grammatically correct, it may be too informal for some formal writing. In such cases, consider using a more neutral term like "low remuneration" or "inadequate compensation".

What does "measly" mean in the context of "measly pay"?

In the context of "measly pay", "measly" means small, inadequate, or contemptibly insignificant. It suggests that the amount of pay is disappointingly low.