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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of persnickety
Imagine creating a new standard of hypersensitive caution about attracting even the most persnickety media criticism, and then applying it for the first time to your son’s wedding.
—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
Francesca’s pinnacle Once a Regency world has implied there’s mass print culture capable of speedy and pervasive distribution of colored images, something as persnickety as vocabulary is probably beside the point.
—
Kathryn Vanarendonk,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
What’s more, some species are so persnickety that even low-water activity media won’t do the trick consistently.
—
Elizabeth Anne Brown,
Scientific American,
20 Jan. 2026
The champion’s mindset—persnickety, hyper-critical, focused—is back.
—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
23 Dec. 2025
Because of that pressurization level, passengers will experience less stress on their bodies and get more oxygen while onboard, which can help to reduce that persnickety jet lag.
—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
9 Dec. 2025
Maybe also add a little note telling them not to get too persnickety about insuring the blade is mirror-shiny all the time.
—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
16 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, a persnickety bank investigator, played by Tilda Swinton in a frizzle of red hair and clompy shoes, approaches Doyle with a serious charge.
—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
The holdup has come from some persnickety deal points, like carving out international streaming rights and reaching consensus on the tech advancements Apple plans to use for its productions.
—
Alex Harrington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
Francesca’s pinnacle Once a Regency world has implied there’s mass print culture capable of speedy and pervasive distribution of colored images, something as persnickety as vocabulary is probably beside the point.
—
Kathryn Vanarendonk,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
What’s more, some species are so persnickety that even low-water activity media won’t do the trick consistently.
—
Elizabeth Anne Brown,
Scientific American,
20 Jan. 2026
The champion’s mindset—persnickety, hyper-critical, focused—is back.
—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
23 Dec. 2025
Because of that pressurization level, passengers will experience less stress on their bodies and get more oxygen while onboard, which can help to reduce that persnickety jet lag.
—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
9 Dec. 2025
Maybe also add a little note telling them not to get too persnickety about insuring the blade is mirror-shiny all the time.
—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
16 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, a persnickety bank investigator, played by Tilda Swinton in a frizzle of red hair and clompy shoes, approaches Doyle with a serious charge.
—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
The holdup has come from some persnickety deal points, like carving out international streaming rights and reaching consensus on the tech advancements Apple plans to use for its productions.
—
Alex Harrington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persnickety
Adjective
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The idea of apps like Partiful are to eliminate the need for finicky email threads and groupchats with a bunch of unknown numbers by instead putting all the info – guest list, event details and photos – in one place.
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Part of the problem is that, outside of their tenants’ pleas, landlords face neither any real pressure nor any legal requirement to install shutters and ceiling fans; even owners who want to do so are thwarted by recalcitrant co-op boards or finicky historic-preservation reviews.
Adjective
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This enduring legacy, underscores the lawyer's role as an officer of the court, preserving the rule of law even when challenging authority.
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Educate your family on our country’s history, both good and challenging.
Adjective
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The Sound and The Fury Told by four narrators in a stream of consciousness writing style, this 1929 story describes the downfall of a wealthy Southern aristocratic family, the Compsons.
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Because of previous demand, over 20,000 people had been employed in buckle manufacture in the Birmingham area, but when this aristocratic fashion suddenly collapsed in 1786 on the eve of the French Revolution, their trade collapsed along with it.
Adjective
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Determination and careful calculations — hold on, carry the 2 — are a must.
-
Graduate students face lower federal limits and the loss of Grad PLUS, requiring careful financial planning.
Adjective
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Sarah Buck, Chicago Driving has become harder The rapid increase in bike lanes has made driving much more difficult and tedious, with numerous delays due to many streets being reduced to one lane in busy areas.
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Republican strategists have welcomed those nominations as an opening for attack in a difficult election year.
Adjective
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West Germany, arrogant attitude adjusted, pounded Chile, 4-1.
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Lasso, in his initial introduction to audiences, wasn’t the warm, pun-loving, inspirational coach audiences would eventually embrace through Apple +, but a slightly arrogant buffoon parodying the average American sports fan.
Adjective
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Again, these shops—think Plato’s Closet or Uptown Cheapskate—are picky and often cater to a younger audience.
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McLaughlin admits that years of parenting picky eaters helped inspire the central idea behind the project.
Adjective
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Building a paper airplane can be as demanding as building the airframe of a real aircraft.
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Once the evaluation process is complete, the company plans to scale production to thousands of units over the next three years, targeting manufacturers seeking to automate physically demanding and hazardous work.
Cite this Entry
“Persnickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persnickety. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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