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
The two Koreas have been engaged in petty Cold War-style psychological warfare since at least March, with the North having flown thousands of balloons toward the South, filled with wastepaper, cloth scraps, cigarette butts and even manure.
—
Bradford Betz, Fox News, 6 Sep. 2024
The great bullies of 1956 America have been reduced to petty ones thanks to conservatives who have cried out against their excesses.
—The Editors, National Review, 2 Sep. 2024
On the surface, this may seem like a petty dispute between a player and her former employers, but this case goes beyond a simple disagreement.
—Iman N. Milner, refinery29.com, 29 Aug. 2024
Things take a turn when Smokey's drug supplier demands $200 by 10 PM or they'll be killed, but the pair is easily distracted by conflicts with the resident bully, Craig's jealous girlfriend, and various neighborhood moochers and petty criminals.
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 18 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for petty 
Bradford Betz, Fox News, 6 Sep. 2024
The great bullies of 1956 America have been reduced to petty ones thanks to conservatives who have cried out against their excesses.
—The Editors, National Review, 2 Sep. 2024
On the surface, this may seem like a petty dispute between a player and her former employers, but this case goes beyond a simple disagreement.
—Iman N. Milner, refinery29.com, 29 Aug. 2024
Things take a turn when Smokey's drug supplier demands $200 by 10 PM or they'll be killed, but the pair is easily distracted by conflicts with the resident bully, Craig's jealous girlfriend, and various neighborhood moochers and petty criminals.
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 18 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for petty
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 16 Sep. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share