Useful English Word or Phrase to Boost Your English: Tight-Fisted

Quick summary: A common adjective meaning unwilling to spend money; stingy or mean with cash.

What does it mean?

If someone is tight-fisted, they are very reluctant to spend money, even when it would be reasonable to do so.

Is it positive or negative?

It is negative because it criticises somebody's attitude to money.

When do you use it?

Use it when describing people who avoid paying, never treat anyone, or always choose the cheapest option.

Examples

Example 1: He is so tight-fisted he never even offers to buy a round.

Example 2: The company was tight-fisted and would not replace broken equipment.

Question for you

At what point does being careful with money become tight-fisted?

Are you looking for English speaking practice online?

Are you looking for English speaking practice online? I offer online English lessons using Teams, Google Meet, and Zoom for my high-quality classes. My English speaking lessons are perfect if you are not getting enough speaking practice and want to improve your spoken fluency, accuracy, and learn natural vocabulary directly from a British native speaker. If you want to study English with a British native speaker online, you can find out more about lessons here. For another useful word, see splash out.