quite meager

USAGE SUMMARY

"quite meager" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that is insufficient or lacking in quantity or quality. Example: "The donations received were quite meager compared to last year's contributions." Alternative expressions include "rather sparse" and "fairly scant."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

They did so without taking a dime in salary, and the support the parishes gave the convents was often quite meager.

The New York Times

Second, as fascinating as frog dissection is, and with all due respect to its legion of devotees, the search results it brings up are quite meager when compared to the staggering 2,270,000 you get for "humor analysis".

The New Yorker

Many of the returnees are timid about navigating an unfamiliar, corrupt system, he said, and they're not ready to accept the reality that their earnings will be quite meager.

The New York Times - Magazine

What is more important is that the tax relief most people will receive is quite meager, hardly the impression the president sought to leave when he campaigned around the country for the plan.

The New York Times

However, a few decades later the outcome of this prospect has been quite meager.

Clinical Microbiology and Infection

It seems to be surprising that the feedback until now is quite meager.

Bulletin of Mathematical Sciences

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

I thought it seemed a rather meager repast.

The New York Times - Food

This change however was rather meager.

BMC Family Practice

The F.D.A. and its advisory committees of experts have now concluded quite reasonably that such meager benefits did not justify the severe risks to some women.

The New York Times

The hard times of the Victorian era were not exactly as hard as he portrayed, the free meals in the workhouses not so meager, and the factory workers not quite so hopeless.

The New York Times

(It has served that purpose and now feels like a meager cost-cutting measure, especially given that the place is quite swank).

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "quite meager" when you want to emphasize that something is not just small, but disappointingly insufficient. It works effectively in both financial contexts (earnings, budgets) and scientific observations (data, results).

Common error

Do not pair "quite meager" with other intensifiers like "very" or "extremely" (e.g. "very quite meager"). The word "quite" already serves as the intensifier, and adding another makes the sentence cluttered and informal.

Linguistic Context

In the phrase "quite meager", the adverb "quite" functions as a submodifier that intensifies the adjective "meager". This construction serves to qualify the degree of insufficiency, moving it beyond a simple statement of fact to an evaluative observation. According to Ludwig, this is a standard and acceptable way to characterize shortages.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

25%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "quite meager" is a robust and versatile adjective phrase used to signal a notable lack or deficiency. Ludwig AI analysis confirms that it is widely accepted in formal journalism, academic discourse, and scientific reporting. It serves as an effective tool for writers who need to express that a quantity is not merely small, but significantly insufficient for the context at hand. With its high frequency in reputable sources like The New York Times, it remains a reliable choice for professional communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rather meager

uses a slightly softer intensifier than quite

fairly scant

replaces meager with a synonym often applied to physical volume or evidence

quite modest

provides a more polite or euphemistic way to describe a small amount

very sparse

emphasizes thin distribution rather than just low quantity

somewhat lacking

shifts the focus from the quantity itself to the state of deficiency

extremely limited

increases the intensity of the restriction or shortage

relatively small

offers a more neutral and comparative description of size or quantity

insufficient indeed

adds an archaic or emphatic tone to the sense of inadequacy

distinctly thin

suggests a perceptible and specific lack of substance

decidedly poor

emphasizes the low quality associated with the low quantity

FAQs

How do I use "quite meager" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe an insufficient quantity, such as: "The donations received this year were "quite meager" compared to last year's total".

What is a more formal synonym for "quite meager"?

A more formal alternative depending on the specific context could be "highly insufficient" or "notably deficient".

Is "quite meager" better than "very small"?

While "very small" is a general term for size, "quite meager" specifically implies that the amount is unsatisfying or inadequate for its purpose.

Can "quite meager" be used for abstract things?

Yes, it can describe abstract concepts like an "quite meager understanding" or "quite meager support".