Definition of petty
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
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Examples of petty in a Sentence
a petty argument about grammar
My behavior was petty and stupid. I apologize.
Recent Examples of petty from the Web
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The Soviets, on the other hand, were dominated by a Stalin eager to flex some military muscle and thoroughly convinced that war would win much more than petty negotiations.
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However, whether out of guilt or because there’s lots of money in the corporate petty cash account, severance packages with Ford are downright exceptional.
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Crystal Bullins, 37, was in custody on a petty theft charge and an outstanding warrant charging her with contempt of court.
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For some fans, passion for the film leads to petty crime.
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The two involved in the fight then spoke, explaining that lately girls in the school had been getting into petty disagreements.
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Instead our main story unravels in a world of corruptions and petty politics, prejudices and hate.
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Here are seven diss records from pop artists perfectly capturing bitter tensions in the industry, showing just how the world's biggest stars can still get entangled in petty rivalries.
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A petty criminal who had been in and out of jail since childhood, Manson reinvented himself during the Summer of Love as a long-haired, Christ-like guru spouting Bible verses and Beatles lyrics.
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.
Origin and Etymology of petty
Middle English pety small, minor, alteration of petit
Petty
playDefinition of Petty
Sir William 1623–1687 English political economist
PETTY Defined for English Language Learners
petty
playDefinition of petty for English Language Learners
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: not very important or serious
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: relating to things that are not very important or serious
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: committing crimes that are not very serious
PETTY Defined for Kids
petty
playDefinition of petty for Students
pettier
;pettiest
1 : small and of no importance Don't worry about the petty details.
2 : showing or having a mean narrow-minded attitude
pettiness
\ˈpe-tē-nəs\ nounLaw Dictionary
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