Meagerly

Meagerly is an adverb describing something done in a meager, scanty, or insufficient manner. It modifies verbs to convey that the amount, quality, or effort involved is small or inadequate relative to needs or expectations. The term is formed from the adjective meager and is used when a writer wishes to emphasize scarcity rather than sufficiency. Meagerly can describe how resources are allocated, how effort is delivered, or how results are achieved, among other contexts.

Usage notes include that meagerly is relatively uncommon compared with simpler phrases such as barely or scarcely, or with adjectives that imply insufficiency. It tends to appear in formal writing, literary prose, or technical descriptions where a precise shading of scarcity matters. In everyday speech, speakers are more likely to use alternatives like “barely funded,” “scarcely enough,” or “inadequately.”

Examples:

The budget was meagerly funded, forcing program reductions.

The team completed the project meagerly, delivering only a fraction of the planned features.

The shelves were meagerly stocked after the supply delay, leaving customers with few options.