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
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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
-
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
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On the downside, motion duck decoys are expensive and some of them are finicky in field conditions.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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While the victory was routine, their goalkeeping situation and transfer dealings are more challenging.—
Emile Nuh,
The Athletic,
22 Jan. 2025
-
From the wreckage, cosmonaut Exo emerges, and cohabitation between them turns out to be a challenging endeavor.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Their attire and posture radiated an iconic, aristocratic style, exemplified by Vance's wife, who stood elegantly in her rose-pitch dress coat.—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
21 Jan. 2025
-
Despite the name, Palace hotels aren’t always centuries-old aristocratic mansions, and many feel thoroughly modern.—
Mary Winston Nicklin,
AFAR Media,
15 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
-
Simplifying Complexity Through Narratives Leaders often need to communicate complex strategies or concepts, which can be difficult for teams to fully grasp.—
Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
-
The emotional weight of losing that independence is difficult to quantify, but its impact is profound.—
John Hope Bryant,
TIME,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald return as love interest Virginia Venit and arrogant rival Shooter McGavin, respectively, and the cast includes rookies like Bad Bunny, Travis Kelce and pro wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman.—
Brian Truitt,
USA TODAY,
17 Jan. 2025
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Those include genial second-year resident Dr. King (Taylor Dearden), arrogant intern Santos (Isa Briones), and doe-eyed med students Javadi (Shabana Azeez) and Whittaker (Gerran Howell).—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
9 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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Today’s shoppers are more demanding, more savvy and more cost-conscious than ever before.—
Gary Drenik,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
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Friends and sources told PEOPLE at the time that although Silva was excited for Costner’s Hollywood ascendance, their relationship became more difficult due to his increasingly demanding schedule.—
Brendan Le,
People.com,
18 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near persnickety
Cite this Entry
“Persnickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persnickety. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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