1
as in finicky
hard to please
as she got older, she got more and more persnickety
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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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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
All are notoriously persnickety when evaluating food prepared by the contestants, and the bar for excellence rises as the season progresses.
—Mary Colurso | [email protected], 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
Earlier, more persnickety machines would operate between 50% and 75% of the available time, vexing officials trying to schedule a facility’s users.
—Byadrian Cho, science.org, 4 May 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
All are notoriously persnickety when evaluating food prepared by the contestants, and the bar for excellence rises as the season progresses.
—Mary Colurso | [email protected], 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
Earlier, more persnickety machines would operate between 50% and 75% of the available time, vexing officials trying to schedule a facility’s users.
—Byadrian Cho, science.org, 4 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persnickety
Adjective
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But our biggest gripe with the classic Cuisinart design is how finicky these elements can be.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appétit,
21 Mar. 2025
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The conditions that can foster a super bloom are finicky and delicate.—
Mae Hamilton,
AFAR Media,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Coach Chris Finch has led them to the playoffs in each of his four full seasons on the job, and this may have been the most challenging one yet.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The game is essentially 3-on-3 wheelchair basketball, offering a challenging experience that, while not entirely reflective of actual wheelchair basketball, provides a unique gameplay twist.—
Eammonn Dignam,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In reality, McArthur was a bull-rider from Clinton and a far cry from the aristocratic type others had pegged him for, Lyons said.—
Tony Holt,
Arkansas Online,
7 Apr. 2025
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The largely middle-class Liberals replaced Britain's aristocratic Whigs in the 19th century only to be supplanted themselves by the working-class Labor Party in the 20th century.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Be careful not to let in too much moisture to avoid any mildew or mold developing on your mattress.—
Terry Baddoo,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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And Martin says the uncertainty about insurance rates is yet another good reason to be careful on the road.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Third, operational command of Kamikaze planes is difficult because results cannot be evaluated with any accuracy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
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Instead, the major drama comes in the form of Ivy’s corruption by her acting coach, as Ivy gradually goes method and becomes as difficult to work with as Marilyn was (one of this musical’s many meta moments).—
Christian Lewis,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Ava Daniels is a young comedy writer who is unable to find work due to an insensitive tweet and her reputation for being self-centered and arrogant.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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And the villains, of course, exuding every nastily relatable emotion; the stepmothers and sorceresses are vain, arrogant, dismissive, lonely, rude, and outrageous.—
Darren Franich,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Seahawks might continue to be picky and bypass selecting a quarterback later this month.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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For picky eaters, Beaches has a Culinary Concierge who can work with guests with autism to create custom menus.—
Jamie Davis Smith,
AFAR Media,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In the last two decades, the number of hospitals and diagnostic centers has already increased sixfold, and there’s room for many more, particularly those that value quality, which patients are increasingly demanding and becoming aware of.—
Sylvana Quader Sinha,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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In making such a claim, Bonhoeffer moved the aim of conscience away from obedience to rational principles and to the more demanding and concrete love for God and one’s living, breathing, suffering neighbor.—
David DeCosse,
Mercury News,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persnickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persnickety. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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