fussier; fussiest
1
: easily upset : irritable
2
: overly decorative
a fussy wallpaper pattern
3
a
: requiring or giving close attention to details
fussy bookkeeping procedures
b
: revealing a sometimes extreme concern for niceties : fastidious, picky
fussily adverb
fussiness noun

Examples of fussy in a Sentence

I'm not fussy about where we eat. The room was cluttered and fussy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And while the real thing is a great gift idea for seasoned green thumbs, novice plant owners can still enjoy the look (minus the fussy upkeep) with this faux version that looks surprisingly realistic. Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2025 Despite getting dolled up for her latest press run, Blunt does not love wearing fussy dresses or heels to events. Starr Bowenbank, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025 The goal was not to create a line that felt fussy or that would be uncomfortable on long travel days. Caroline Reilly, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2025 Now the New York Historical (a rebranding last year dropped both fussy hyphen and fusty noun) is achieving its deferred ambitions, with a hundred-and-seventy-five-million-dollar expansion. Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fussy

Word History

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fussy was in 1831

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fussy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fussy. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

fussy

adjective
fussier; fussiest
1
: inclined to complain or whine
a fussy child
2
a
: needing or giving much attention to details
a fussy job
b
: hard to please
fussy about food
fussily adverb
fussiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fussy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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