Definition of trivialnext
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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of trivial None of this is trivial, and anyone who tells you otherwise is not being straight with you. Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 17 Mar. 2026 The loss of books is minor, almost trivial, in light of all the horrors and violence unleashed by this senseless war, but the potential loss of these books is a sad reminder that we’re all affected and implicated in America’s savage flailings. James Folta, Literary Hub, 17 Mar. 2026 The action on the live action short film category was relatively trivial compared to categories like best actor and best picture. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026 No surprise, then, that Kim is initially skeptical of Sean’s conspiracy theories, assuming her aimless husband to be fixating on trivial nonsense. Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trivial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trivial
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, at home, small appliances might break down or a minor breakage could occur.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
  • The restaurant became a minor sensation—the titular dish is terrific, silken and subtle and rich, but what most stood out was a rotating lineup of specials, mostly hawker-style Malaysian fare, particularly the food of Klang, his parents’ home town, on Malaysia’s western coast.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • UConn came into the game as a slight underdog despite having beaten the Illini by 13 points at Madison Square Garden back in November.
    Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Black One and Monoliths & Dimensions maintain a slight distance from the listener with a layer of reverb that softens the bone-crushing power of the guitars.
    Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The cab’s dark interior seems to lure Rauschenberg in, but perhaps he was also drawn to the small round window, like a porthole, above the seat, which looks out at the distance behind the carriage.
    Hilton Als, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Consider reshuffling your to-do list, because a small shift could save money and protect your energy.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The lawsuit alleges Freeman Funeral Home accepted the baby’s remains for a nominal $500 fee but never followed through on its promise to provide him with a proper Christian burial.
    Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The cast of Netflix’s YA comedy XO, Kitty also tried renegotiating after Season 2 but received nominal bonuses instead, sources said.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • But with Spokane creating little offensively, Andema laid the ball off along his own end line to defender Moussa Ndiaye to start a chaotic sequence that ended with the ball in the back of Boise’s net.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 5 Apr. 2026
  • In the ’90s, the peninsula was taken over by a string of summer-only nightclubs, with little regard for the natural surroundings or the ancient cemetery buried in the pine forest.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Examples of petty beatings also abound, like footage from December showing two guys in Leeds, UK tossing a delivery robot into a bush, or video of one bot cracked open and left for dead on a Los Angeles sidewalk.
    Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 2 Apr. 2026
  • His distracted state gave him practically no leverage to overcome Senate President Bill Ferguson’s blockade against his petty redistricting effort.
    Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • If however, we were often criticized and made to feel unimportant, our self-talk may be more negative.
    Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 2 Apr. 2026
  • But until that moment, the one when Towns sank a seemingly unimportant bucket during what turned into a 49-point decimation of the 76ers, those types of shots had evaporated.
    Fred Katz, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • There were 9,500 births to mothers who reported a foreign address, which is statistically insignificant.
    Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
  • This is not insignificant, as delaying parenthood tends to affect the number of children a mother has.
    Manuela Castro, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Trivial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trivial. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.

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