pettier; pettiest
1
: having secondary rank or importance : minor, subordinate
2
: having little or no importance or significance
3
: marked by or reflective of narrow interests and sympathies : small-minded
Examples of petty in a Sentence
a petty argument about grammar
My behavior was petty and stupid. I apologize.
Recent Examples on the Web
The professor said the groups committed crimes, but their offenses were relatively petty by today’s standards: brawling and shakedowns of non-gang members for their bikes or lunch money.
—
Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2025
With the wave of a hand—or, to be more precise, the tapping of a few overnight posts on social media—American political horizons are being remade in ways that are petty and absurd.
—Penny Abeywardena, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
To rename the Gulf of Mexico is so petty — unworthy of our greatness as a nation.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 19 Feb. 2025
In this context, the achievements, real or imaginary, of their children became a tool in a petty squabble.
—Adam Crafton, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
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Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2025
With the wave of a hand—or, to be more precise, the tapping of a few overnight posts on social media—American political horizons are being remade in ways that are petty and absurd.
—Penny Abeywardena, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
To rename the Gulf of Mexico is so petty — unworthy of our greatness as a nation.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 19 Feb. 2025
In this context, the achievements, real or imaginary, of their children became a tool in a petty squabble.
—Adam Crafton, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
Cite this Entry
“Petty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petty. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
petty
adjective
pet·ty
ˈpet-ē 
pettier; pettiest
1
: lesser in rank or importance : minor
a petty prince
2
: having little or no importance or meaning
petty details
3
: having or displaying a mean narrow-minded attitude : small-minded
Etymology
Middle English pety "small, minor," an altered form of petit (same meaning), from early French petit "small"
Legal Definition
Biographical Definition
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