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
And the conflict between the law-abiding brother and his petty thief sibling isn’t over a herd of cattle or gold mine but over a screenplay an agent promises will bring them fame and fortune.
—
Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025
Weeks before the closing announcement, blame fell on the store’s lack of shopping carts, the closure of self-checkout lanes and a visible rise in shoplifting and petty crime.
—Gloria Ngwa, Twin Cities, 1 Aug. 2025
That political positions are often a cover for petty jealousy and one-upmanship is hardly news, but Aster inflates the idea into a governing thesis.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 18 July 2025
As Joe and Ted’s rivalry grows more fraught and petty, news of George Floyd’s murder mobilizes a small but enraged band of local protestors, some of whom have self-serving intentions.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
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Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025
Weeks before the closing announcement, blame fell on the store’s lack of shopping carts, the closure of self-checkout lanes and a visible rise in shoplifting and petty crime.
—Gloria Ngwa, Twin Cities, 1 Aug. 2025
That political positions are often a cover for petty jealousy and one-upmanship is hardly news, but Aster inflates the idea into a governing thesis.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 18 July 2025
As Joe and Ted’s rivalry grows more fraught and petty, news of George Floyd’s murder mobilizes a small but enraged band of local protestors, some of whom have self-serving intentions.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 17 July 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 21 Aug. 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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