Understanding Penuriousness: The Difference Between Frugality and Stinginess

Penurious means stingy or miserly. It refers to someone who is unwilling to spend money, even when it is necessary, and is often used to describe someone who is overly frugal or cheap.
Example: "He's so penurious that he refuses to spend any money on luxuries, even though he could easily afford them."
Synonyms for penurious include stingy, miserly, parsimonious, and thrifty. However, while these words all refer to someone who is frugal or unwilling to spend money, they have slightly different connotations and nuances. For example, stingy implies a lack of generosity or willingness to give to others, while miserly suggests a hoarding or accumulation of wealth. Parsimonious is a more formal word that implies a strict frugality, while thrifty suggests a wise and careful use of resources.
In summary, penurious means stingy or miserly, but it has a slightly different connotation than other words that describe someone who is frugal or unwilling to spend money. It implies a lack of generosity and a strict frugality that can be seen as negative or unpleasant.