1
as in small
not broad or open in views or opinions
a petty little town that was not ethnically diverse and very happy about the situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
obsessed over even petty problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petty
Not to victim-blame, but that’s an awfully bold lip for someone who’s trying to avoid the ire of the famously jealous and petty Evil Queen.
—
Emma Specter, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025
As with any large city, petty crime, like pickpocketing, occurs frequently, so be aware of your surroundings, especially in crowded markets and on public transportation.
—Jen Murphy, Outside Online, 21 Mar. 2025
The film tells the true story of the power struggle between notorious crime bosses Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, two New York mobsters once the best of friends before petty jealousies put them on a deadly collision course.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025
For public safety, Perkins said, he's been speaking with local officials and studying data, including about how petty crimes can turn into larger ones.
—Annalise Frank, Axios, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
Emma Specter, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025
As with any large city, petty crime, like pickpocketing, occurs frequently, so be aware of your surroundings, especially in crowded markets and on public transportation.
—Jen Murphy, Outside Online, 21 Mar. 2025
The film tells the true story of the power struggle between notorious crime bosses Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, two New York mobsters once the best of friends before petty jealousies put them on a deadly collision course.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025
For public safety, Perkins said, he's been speaking with local officials and studying data, including about how petty crimes can turn into larger ones.
—Annalise Frank, Axios, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petty
Adjective
-
In 2022, a consortium of private retirement-plan providers announced a collaboration to boost the portability of small retirement accounts.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
-
The space consists of two levels—one for dancing and one for dining at small cocktail tables.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Cage’s most famous composition—a piece where any performer exists in any space for four minutes and 33 seconds—is performed in nominal silence.—
Jeremy D. Larson,
Pitchfork,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders are nominal political outsiders, regular critics of the Democratic establishment and proud progressives who are beloved by leftwing base voters — qualities that have advantages in today’s political environment.—
David M. Drucker,
Boston Herald,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The plum political prize, of course, will be deciding how congressional districts are drawn, perhaps giving this parochial court a major say in which party—and its preferred Speaker—gets to run the U.S. House.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
31 Mar. 2025
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There is nothing more parochial or bland than being a soft, white Anglican kid from Ottawa.—
Graydon Carter,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Dawn came on chilly with a slight overcast and a light breeze.—
Jeffrey A. Brunk,
Outdoor Life,
10 Apr. 2025
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The rear camera's OIS yields mostly smooth video, but there's some slight bumpiness here and there.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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On Saturday, the narrow field caused both teams to adapt to tighter spaces and quicker play.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
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The plain and active meaning of the word cannot be diluted by its constriction, as the government would have it, to a narrow term of art.—
TIME Staff,
Time,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This trivial annoyance reminded me of several things.—
Nate Anderson,
Ars Technica,
22 Mar. 2025
-
From trivial to tragic There have been previous Facebook defectors, but none as high-ranking as Wynn-Williams.—
Michelle Goldberg,
The Mercury News,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
There were little tiny water bubbles around each of them.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
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Gone are most of the toggle switches (and the little safety protrusions that accompanied them) on the dashboard, with the exception of one for changing between drive, reverse, and neutral, plus another to switch between drive modes.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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With that much water needed for even the most trifling tasks, the natural question becomes: How does that water reach those data centers, let alone the world’s farms and factories?—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
28 May 2010
-
And yet the movie’s insularity feels trifling and empty.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Feb. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Petty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petty. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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