petty

adjective

pet·ty | \ ˈpe-tē

pettier; pettiest

Definition of petty

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

Petty

biographical name

Pet·ty | \ ˈpe-tē

Definition of Petty (Entry 2 of 2)

Sir William 1623–1687 English political economist

Other Words from petty Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about petty

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Examples of petty in a Sentence

Adjective

a petty argument about grammar My behavior was petty and stupid. I apologize.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Buried in the petty jealousies and breathless infatuations, though, is Ricard opening his heart—in all its vulnerability and honesty and vanity and glory-seeking—to the world. — Corey Seymour, Vogue, "Rene Ricard’s First Book of Poems, Long Out of Print, Is Back—And It’s a Revelation," 4 May 2018 Always emotionally resonant, Japan's Kore-eda Hirokazu tells a story of a family of petty criminals. — Kenneth Turan, latimes.com, "A kiss is not just a kiss at Cannes, where the mood is edgy this year," 7 May 2018 Petty theft of $20 cash reported by Ramona Village Apartments, 110 Seventh St. Zigman Shields General Contractors reported petty theft of two miscellaneous items valued at $400 in the 2000 block of Main Street. — Sentinel Staff, Ramona Sentinel, "Sheriff's Reports: March 18-25," 27 Mar. 2018 There’s not as much money for the police force, and there’s a rash of break-ins and petty crime. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, "The case against billionaire philanthropy," 17 Dec. 2018 The lengthy prison term prompted outrage on social media, with some people accusing the prosecutor of imposing too harsh a sentence for a seemingly petty crime. — Bradford Betz, Fox News, "Florida man gets 20 years for stealing $600 worth of cigarettes," 24 Sep. 2018 The film is an intimate and accessible drama about a family of small-time petty crooks who live in a small house, scratch out a living, and take in a young girl who appears to have lost her family. — Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, "The 21 best movies of 2018," 14 Dec. 2018 Photo: Courtesy of VH1.. Black reality television can be a nonsensical world of petty drama and chaos. — refinery29.com, "The Evolution Of LGBTQ+ Representation On This Black Reality Show," 11 June 2018 Ultimately, Brown paints a sympathetic but unsparing portrait of a frustrated intelligence lashing out in petty cruelty at a world that has given her nothing to do with her life. — Constance Grady, Vox, "The 16 best books I read in 2018," 21 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'petty.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.