Synonyms of threadbare
105 similar words · 42 opposite words
Another word for threadbare is awanting. Other synonyms of threadbare are deficient, dismal, exiguous, geason and inadequate.
Synonyms and similar words for threadbare
adjectiveIn poor condition; damaged, shabby; also, poorly equipped or provided for, inadequate, meagre...
- awantingMissing; wanting; deficient or absent.
- deficient
- dismalDisappointingly inadequate.
- exiguousScanty; meager.
- geason UK, dialectal
- inadequateNot adequate; lacking in quality or quantity required; insufficient for a purpose.
- insufficient
- leanHaving little extra or little to spare; scanty; meagre.
- lousyInsufficient and less than expected of a good thing.
- meager
- measly
- paltry
- poorWith no or few possessions or money, particularly in relation to contemporaries who do have them.
- raunchy
- scant
- scantlingNot plentiful; small; scanty.
- scanty
- scarce
- skimpy
- sleazy
- slender figuratively
- spare
- sparse
- unsatisfactoryInadequate, substandard or not satisfactory.
- unsufficientSynonym of insufficient.
- wanting
- wanty UK, dialectalPossessing or indicating lack; deficient.
- lank obsolete
adjectiveOf an argument, excuse, etc.: used so often that it is no longer effective or interesting; banal...
- banalCommon in a boring way, to the point of being predictable; containing nothing new or fresh.
- batheticCharacterized by or pertaining to bathos.
- bromidicStale, banal, clichéd.
- cheesyOverdramatic, excessively emotional or clichéd, trite, contrived.
- stock
- clichédRepeated so often that it has become stale or commonplace; hackneyed.
- commonplaceOrdinary; not having any remarkable characteristics.
- cornyHackneyed or excessively sentimental.
- dog-earedRagged, worn-out; also, hackneyed, tired.
- hackneyedRepeated too often.
- hoaryOld or old-fashioned; trite.
- overdoneRepeated too often; hackneyed.
- overusedHackneyed or clichéd.
- overworkedHaving been overused such that it has lost its meaning; trite; banal.
- patTrite, being superficially complete, lacking originality.
- played outOverused, hackneyed; clichéd.
- shopwornOf an idea, a piece or writing, etc.: repeated so often as to have become uninteresting; clichéd, overused, tired.
- staleNo longer fresh, new, or interesting, in reference to ideas and immaterial things; clichéd, hackneyed, dated.
- timewornShowing the effects of wear due to long use.
- tiredOverused, cliché.
- triteUsed so many times that it is commonplace, or no longer interesting or effective; worn out, hackneyed.
- warmed-overClichéd, overused or stale.
- well-wornShowing signs of wear because of extensive use.
adjectiveOf a person: wearing clothes of threadbare (sense 1) material; hence, impoverished, poor.
- brokeWithout any money, penniless.
- down at heel
- pennilessLacking even the smallest amount of money.
- almslessNot having any alms; impoverished.
- arm
- badly offIn unfortunate circumstances, especially having financial difficulty.
- bankruptIn a condition of bankruptcy; unable to pay outstanding debts or meet financial obligations; specifically, having been...
- beggaredPoor; empoverished.
- beggarly
- boracic
- brokenHaving no money; bankrupt, broke.
- broker than the Ten CommandmentsExtremely impoverished.
- destituteLacking money, poor, impoverished; especially, extremely so.
- dirt poor
- disadvantaged
- down and outIn a condition of poverty or debility, especially as a result of experiencing a financial or personal setback.
- down on one's luckUnlucky or undergoing a period of bad luck, especially with respect to financial matters.
- down on one's uppersImpecunious, lacking money.
- empty-handed
- farthinglessWithout a farthing; very poor.
- feeling the pinch
- flat
- goodlessWithout goods or property; destitute.
- hard upLacking money; impecunious; in financial difficulties.
- impecuniousLacking money.
- impoverished
- in need
- indigentPoor; destitute; in need.
- insolvent
- lower-class
- moneylessHaving no (or very little) money.
- necessitous
- needy
- pauperized
- penuriousImpoverished; wanting for money.
- pinched
- pok kai slangHaving no money; broke; bankrupt.
- poor as a church mouseVery poor, to the point of starving or begging; utterly destitute.
- poor as a ratSynonym of poor as a church mouse.
- poor as JobExtremely poor, destitute.
- possessionlessWithout possessions.
- poverty-ridden
- poverty-strickenVery poor.
- shillinglessWithout a shilling; broke.
- skint
- stone-broke
- stony-broke
- strapped
- unwealthyNot wealthy.
- wealthlessHaving little or no wealth; poor.
- depauperate obsolete
- groatless archaic, rareWithout a groat; very poor.
- oofless UK, datedShort of money; poor.
- stuck archaic, slangIn the situation of having no money.
Opposite of threadbare
adjectiveOf an argument, excuse, etc.: used so often that it is no longer effective or interesting; banal...
adjectiveOf a person: wearing clothes of threadbare (sense 1) material; hence, impoverished, poor.
- bow-legged wi' brass humorousWealthy; having lots of money.
- comfortably offReasonably wealthy; well off.
- filthy richVery rich (wealthy).
- loaded
- fat
- minted British, Ireland
- moneyedAffluent, rich.
- moneybagsA wealthy person.
- of meansPossessing significant wealth, especially as suggesting social standing.
- richWealthy: having a lot of money and possessions.
- rich as CroesusVery wealthy.
- rolling
- rolling in doughSynonym of rolling in it (“rich”).
- rolling in it
- upper crust
- wealthy
- well-endowed
- well-heeledAffluent, prosperous, or even (of the highest degree) rich.
- well offOf a person: in fortunate circumstances, especially having financial security, at any level from intermediate...
- well-to-doRich, prosperous, financially stable and comfortable.
- oofy UK, datedHaving lots of money rich, wealthy.
Meaning of threadbare
- adjective Of cloth, clothing, furnishings, etc.: frayed and worn to an extent that the nap is damaged and the warp and weft threads show; shabby, worn-out.
- adjective In poor condition; damaged, shabby; also, poorly equipped or provided for, inadequate, meagre, scanty.
- adjective Of an argument, excuse, etc.: used so often that it is no longer effective or interesting; banal, clichéd, trite.
threadbare in other languages
Questions about synonyms of threadbare
- What is another word for threadbare?
- Threadbare has 105 synonyms on Word.ws, such as awanting, deficient, dismal, exiguous, geason, inadequate, insufficient and lean.
- What is the opposite of threadbare?
- The opposite of threadbare is fresh. Other antonyms of threadbare are new, all-new, brand new, brand spanking new and cherry.
- What does threadbare mean?
- Threadbare means of cloth, clothing, furnishings, etc.: frayed and worn to an extent that the nap is damaged and the warp and weft threads show; shabby, worn-out.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: threadbare (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this page: “Synonyms of threadbare.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/threadbare. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.