Definition of finicky
1 : extremely or excessively particular, exacting, or meticulous in taste or standards a finicky eater My teacher is finicky about spelling.
2 : requiring much care, precision, or attentive effort a finicky recipe … growing the finicky Pinot Noir grape … — Kim Marcus
finickiness
nounExplore Merriam-Webster
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Examples of finicky in a Sentence
My teacher is finicky about grammar.
a complicated and finicky recipe
Recent Examples of finicky from the Web
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There are new marketing efforts, a fleet of finicky snowmobiles to maintain, land-use permits to negotiate, bookings to secure and the logistics of running an off-grid business.
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X-Rays came back negative, meaning the shortstop is listed as day-to-day, but hand injuries can certainly be finicky.
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But the thing is finicky, clicking off devices that crave more than 45 watts and sometimes tolerating less.
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Southern-style barbecue is showing up in restaurants from China to finicky France.
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Fitness tracking and wearables firm Fitbit has had a tough go in the past year, grappling with a finicky customer base and a crowded competitive landscape.
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Sure, there are easier, less finicky sunscreens to wear, but none as protective or as matte.
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Scientists were using one of the first computers, a finicky, 150-foot machine called ENIAC that had been developed during the recent World War.
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Oblique injuries can be finicky, and premature returns can result in extensive time missed.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'finicky.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
You may be familiar with an advertising campaign featuring Morris, the "finicky" housecat who would only eat a certain brand of cat food. Morris’s tastes in cuisine are not only very particular, but very fine as well, and that’s appropriate given the origin of "finicky." The word came about as an alteration of "finicking," itself an alteration of another adjective, "finical." It’s believed that finical derives from the adjective "fine." "Finicking" also gives us "finick," a somewhat rare verb meaning "to put on airs" or "to dawdle about."
Origin and Etymology of finicky
alteration of finicking
FINICKY Defined for English Language Learners
finicky
playDefinition of finicky for English Language Learners
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: very hard to please
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: requiring a lot of care or attention
FINICKY Defined for Kids
Learn More about finicky
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for finicky Spanish Central: Translation of finicky Nglish: Translation of finicky for Spanish speakers
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