penny-pinching adjective 1noun 1forms 3 adjective1 •reluctant to spend money; close-fistedIf there is an overall lesson, it is that train quality should be seen as part of the battle against climate change, with penny-pinching specifications robustly opposed as a false economy. — 2021 noun1 •reluctance to spend money; thrift or parsimony; extreme economy. formspenny-pinchings · more penny-pinching · most penny-pinching