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- pronunciation:
- min
- features:
- Word Combinations (adjective)
| part of speech: |
adjective |
| inflections: |
meaner, meanest |
| definition 1: |
ill-tempered or showing malice or lack of kindness.
Be careful of that mean dog next door.It was mean of those kids to tease you.Don't be mean to the cat; you're hurting her.His stepfather was simply a mean man who took pleasure in doling out punishment.- synonyms:
- currish, malicious, nasty
- antonyms:
- good-tempered, kind, nice
- similar words:
- bad-tempered, cruel, lousy, low, malevolent, ornery, shoddy, spiteful, ugly, vicious, wicked
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| definition 2: |
lacking generosity and humane feelings for others.
Don't look to your miserly uncle to help you; he's always had a mean spirit.- synonyms:
- inhumane, petty
- antonyms:
- beneficent, benevolent, bighearted, generous
- similar words:
- base, brutish, cruel, dastardly, grubby, inhuman, little, low, shabby, shoddy, small, small-minded, unkind
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| definition 3: |
inferior, low in quality, or poor in appearance.
The peasants lived in mean cottages far from the manor.- synonyms:
- base, inferior, low-grade, poor, shabby, wretched
- antonyms:
- grand
- similar words:
- cheap, execrable, grubby, little, low, meager, petty, shoddy, sorry
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| definition 4: |
very small in amount.
He's paid only a mean salary.- synonyms:
- meager, scanty, skimpy, slim, small
- antonyms:
- generous
- similar words:
- little, measly, negligible, paltry, piddling, trifling
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| definition 5: |
(informal) excellent; difficult to beat.
She plays a mean game of chess.- synonyms:
- fine, terrific, wicked
- antonyms:
- lousy, poor
- similar words:
- excellent, impressive, skillful
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| related words: |
abject, awful, bad, beastly, bitchy, bitter, catty, common, contemptible, dirty, grubby, hateful, ignoble, inferior, inimical, insensitive, low, lowly, menial, sordid, splendid, stingy, sullen, tough, waspish, worthless, wretched |
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