1
as in finicky
hard to please
as she got older, she got more and more persnickety
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
lacked the patience to deal with such persnickety tasks as hanging wallpaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aristocratic
being or characteristic of a person who has an offensive air of superiority and tends to ignore or disdain anyone regarded as inferior
his persnickety attitude lost him some friends when they found out what he really thinks of "their kind"
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Recent Examples of persnickety
Jonathan Pryce plays the persnickety headmaster who prefers to keep politics outside the school walls.
—
Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024
Kurkdjian’s policies as head of the department reflect both a persnickety attention to detail and an obsession with creative autonomy.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
But even with Ed Begley onboard as a doctor with tenuous ties to his Hippocratic oath, Elizabeth Perkins steals the show playing Funkhouser’s persnickety new flame, Marilyn.
—Larry Fitzmaurice, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2024
Others are patently unsuitable, notably a persnickety couple who prompt one of John’s rare outbursts of frustration with the process.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Apr. 2024
Working in visual effects had given him a persnickety lens on the world.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
The more persnickety ones bemoan the product for dumbing down product creation and flooding the hobbyist market with lackluster goods.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Oct. 2011
All are notoriously persnickety when evaluating food prepared by the contestants, and the bar for excellence rises as the season progresses.
—Mary Colurso | McOlurso@al.com, al, 13 Sep. 2023
But Wilson is in his comfort zone as ever with Anderson, playing Francis’s persnickety dedication to the trip’s itinerary with his typical generosity.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 June 2023
Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024
Kurkdjian’s policies as head of the department reflect both a persnickety attention to detail and an obsession with creative autonomy.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
But even with Ed Begley onboard as a doctor with tenuous ties to his Hippocratic oath, Elizabeth Perkins steals the show playing Funkhouser’s persnickety new flame, Marilyn.
—Larry Fitzmaurice, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2024
Others are patently unsuitable, notably a persnickety couple who prompt one of John’s rare outbursts of frustration with the process.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Apr. 2024
Working in visual effects had given him a persnickety lens on the world.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
The more persnickety ones bemoan the product for dumbing down product creation and flooding the hobbyist market with lackluster goods.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Oct. 2011
All are notoriously persnickety when evaluating food prepared by the contestants, and the bar for excellence rises as the season progresses.
—Mary Colurso | McOlurso@al.com, al, 13 Sep. 2023
But Wilson is in his comfort zone as ever with Anderson, playing Francis’s persnickety dedication to the trip’s itinerary with his typical generosity.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persnickety
Adjective
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But there are many other types of ferns that are much less finicky indoors, including lemon button fern, crocodile fern, and bird’s nest fern.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2025
-
Some houseplants are finicky about humidity, but African violets are usually content with standard household humidity levels.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Shakira has had a challenging time since splitting from her ex Gerard Piqué.—
Ilana Kaplan,
People.com,
3 Feb. 2025
-
But the alternative—growing real red blood cells outside the body—has proved even more challenging.—
Nicola Twilley,
The New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Central France has been occupied off and on for thousands of years, by aristocratic families to nomadic tribes.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
29 Jan. 2025
-
According to Creighton and his co-authors, there has been quite a lot of research on castles, which dominated aristocratic sites in England after the Norman Conquest.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
Ars Technica,
28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Leopold cautioned immigrants of any religious, national or ethnic background to be careful traveling.—
Pioneer Press,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Jan. 2025
-
Bass has employed a more careful and conciliatory tone.—
Julia Wick,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
An aviation expert, along with the Army pilot, tells PEOPLE that Reagan National Airport can be especially difficult to fly into.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
People.com,
30 Jan. 2025
-
This evidence has been difficult to obtain because the light emitted by these jets is mostly thermal.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The Inside Llewyn Davis star plays Victor Frankenstein, the arrogant scientist who successfully creates life out of an assemblage of deceased body parts.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
30 Jan. 2025
-
An arrogant advertiser at the peak of success is forced to promote a tycoon as a presidential candidate, while a mysterious stalker threatens to destroy his agency and his reputation.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In addition to multiple indoor play areas, water slides, lazy rivers, and soaking tubs, most Great Wolf resorts also have an outdoor pool area and loads of dining options to satisfy even picky eaters.—
Jean Chen Smith,
USA TODAY,
18 Jan. 2025
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Having a family of nine means sometimes preparing meals in large quantities is necessary, and being a picky eater isn’t really an option.—
Katie Mannion,
People.com,
12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But since his accident, Edwards has dedicated his life to exploration, already completing more physically demanding challenges than most do in a lifetime.—
Amy Woodyatt,
CNN,
31 Jan. 2025
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Best for Conservationists John Muir Way, Scotland Not to be confused with California’s more demanding John Muir Trail, the John Muir Way is a relatively new route (established around 10 years ago) that stretches coast to coast across Muir’s home country of Scotland.—
Megan Michelson,
Outside Online,
27 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near persnickety
Cite this Entry
“Persnickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persnickety. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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