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
Synonyms
Examples of petty in a Sentence
a petty argument about grammar
My behavior was petty and stupid. I apologize.
Recent Examples on the Web
Second-degree trespassing is considered a petty misdemeanor and requires a court appearance, HPD said.
—
Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 26 Apr. 2024
There were 185 people killed in the city last year, according to data maintained by The Star, most of them shooting victims, in cases that included petty arguments, domestic violence and retaliatory violence.
—Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2024
Her call-outs can be viewed as petty, reflecting entitlement or even narcissism.
—Ann Powers, NPR, 19 Apr. 2024
Those metaverse plans evaporated, Chapek lost a petty war with Bob Iger, and ESPN is up for sale despite still making tons of money.
—The Verge, 18 Apr. 2024
At the beginning of the 1955 novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, as Ripley is moldering in poverty in New York and scraping together a living via petty mail scams, he’s sustained by an illogical faith in his own superiority.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2024
No one feels safe walking the streets, and petty insults are reason enough for someone to start shooting.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Once again, a trial unites some of the series' most memorable minor characters in an indictment of the protagonist's selfish, petty behavior.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 8 Apr. 2024
For five minutes the worship space rattles and howls like a shuttle booster rocket, and after a palm-punishing standing ovation, this petty life resumes.
—Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 4 Apr. 2024
Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 26 Apr. 2024
There were 185 people killed in the city last year, according to data maintained by The Star, most of them shooting victims, in cases that included petty arguments, domestic violence and retaliatory violence.
—Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2024
Her call-outs can be viewed as petty, reflecting entitlement or even narcissism.
—Ann Powers, NPR, 19 Apr. 2024
Those metaverse plans evaporated, Chapek lost a petty war with Bob Iger, and ESPN is up for sale despite still making tons of money.
—The Verge, 18 Apr. 2024
At the beginning of the 1955 novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, as Ripley is moldering in poverty in New York and scraping together a living via petty mail scams, he’s sustained by an illogical faith in his own superiority.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2024
No one feels safe walking the streets, and petty insults are reason enough for someone to start shooting.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Once again, a trial unites some of the series' most memorable minor characters in an indictment of the protagonist's selfish, petty behavior.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 8 Apr. 2024
For five minutes the worship space rattles and howls like a shuttle booster rocket, and after a palm-punishing standing ovation, this petty life resumes.
—Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'petty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near petty
Cite this Entry
“Petty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petty. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
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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