trifle

1 of 2

noun

tri·​fle ˈtrī-fəl 

1

: something of little value, substance, or importance

2

: a dessert typically consisting of plain or sponge cake often soaked with wine or spirits (such as brandy or rum) and topped with layers of preserves, custard, and cream

trifle

2 of 2

verb

trifled; trifling ˈtrī-f(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

a

: to treat someone or something as unimportant

b

: to talk in a jesting or mocking manner or with intent to delude or mislead

2

: to handle something idly

transitive verb

: to spend or waste in trifling or on trifles

trifler

ˈtrī-f(ə-)lər 

noun

Phrases

a trifle

: to some small degree : slightly

a trifle annoyed

Synonyms

Noun

• bagatelle
• child's play
• frippery
• nonproblem
• nothing
• picayune
• shuck(s)
• small beer
• small change
• triviality

Verb

• coquet
• coquette
• dally
• flirt
• frivol
• mess around
• toy

Choose the Right Synonym for trifle

trifle, toy, dally, flirt, coquet mean to deal with or act toward without serious purpose.

trifle may imply playfulness, unconcern, indulgent contempt.

to trifle with a lover's feelings

toy implies acting without full attention or serious exertion of one's powers.

a political novice toying with great issues

dally suggests indulging in thoughts or plans merely as an amusement.

dallying with the idea of building a boat someday

flirt implies an interest or attention that soon passes to another object.

flirted with one fashionable ism after another

coquet implies attracting interest or admiration without serious intention.

companies that coquet with environmentalism solely for public relations

Examples of trifle in a Sentence

Noun

There's no reason to argue over such trifles.

The money is a mere trifle to me.

Verb

do not trifle with me unless you mean to ask me to marry you

spent a lazy afternoon trifling on the front porch

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The planet will be just a trifle dimmer than the star but their proximity intensifies the orange-yellow of Mars and the blue-white of Regulus. —Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 May 2025

But Willard’s point is that a coach at one of the nation’s top programs should not have to sweat such trifles. —Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 21 Mar. 2025

Verb

This should tell you everything about how trifling these lists are. —Remy Blumenfeld, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

The scorers of eight goals, while giving up a trifling one. —Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 24 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English trufle, trifle, from Anglo-French trufle, triffle fraud, trick, nonsense

Verb

Middle English truflen, triflen, from Anglo-French trufler to trick, talk nonsense

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1b

Phrases Containing trifle

• trifle with

Rhymes for trifle

• hyphal
• rifle
• stifle

Kids Definition

trifle

1 of 2 noun

tri·​fle ˈtrī-fəl 

1

: something of little value or importance

2

: a dessert of sponge cake spread with jam or jelly covered with a custard and whipped cream

trifle

2 of 2 verb

trifled; trifling -f(ə-)liŋ 

1

a

: to talk in a joking manner

b

: to treat someone or something as unimportant

2

: to waste (as time or money) in trifling or on trifles

3

: to handle something idly : toy

trifler

-f(ə-)lər 

noun