pickier; pickiest
: very careful or too careful about choosing or accepting things : fussy, choosy
a picky eater
Because pen collectors are a picky lot, and some antiques dealers who are not in the pen business can overlook the details of condition, there is occasional friction.—
Bill Holland
Bill HollandWith rising ticket prices and new competition from cable TV, cost-conscious families may be pickier about the movies they choose to see.—David Ansen and Martin Kasindorf
David Ansen and Martin Kasindorf
pickiness
noun
Taylor mocks Zavala for the size of his extended Mexican family, their endless chatter and the frequency of their quinceaneras. Zavala ribs Taylor for his white-person pickiness about artisanal coffee and marriage.
—Belinda Luscombe
Belinda Luscombe
Now jobless and forced to live with five housemates in San Jose, Calif., she comes away from every job interview discouraged by employers' pickiness.
—Daniel McGinn
Daniel McGinn
Synonyms of picky
Examples of picky in a Sentence
a picky cat who would only eat one particular kind of food, and only if it was served in his special dish
she's picky, but she always finds the best quality in fresh meat and fish
Recent Examples on the Web
Cherry laurel isn't super picky and will tolerate dry, poor, and alkaline soils, salt, as well as heavy pruning.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 17 May 2026
Yet, the home run bets also have inviting betting odds, and being picky can be fruitful with only a few hits.
—Josh Shepardson, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Angelenos will also find their ballot crowded with other tax hike proposals, which may leave some voters feeling picky.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Though flowers have a reputation for being a bit picky and difficult to grow, there are actually several varieties that are great for beginners.
—Jenny Krane, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for picky
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Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 17 May 2026
Yet, the home run bets also have inviting betting odds, and being picky can be fruitful with only a few hits.
—Josh Shepardson, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Angelenos will also find their ballot crowded with other tax hike proposals, which may leave some voters feeling picky.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Though flowers have a reputation for being a bit picky and difficult to grow, there are actually several varieties that are great for beginners.
—Jenny Krane, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for picky
Cite this Entry
“Picky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/picky. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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