1
as in small
not broad or open in views or opinions
a petty little town that was not ethnically diverse and very happy about the situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
obsessed over even petty problems
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petty
It will be diminished by the petty beak-wetting, the price to get out of the way of a Skydance-Paramount Global deal that seems the best thing for Hollywood.
—
Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 14 July 2025
Without wanting to trivialize egregious breaches of sovereignty like the invasion of Ukraine, most are undeniably petty.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 25 July 2025
Shameful to once again put the president's petty interests over the needs of Americans.
—Hollie Silverman
andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
The disappearance of dozens of shopping carts, the closure of self-checkout lanes, and a visible rise in shoplifting, panhandling, loitering and petty crime left customers, managers and officials at City Hall all trading blame.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 14 July 2025
Without wanting to trivialize egregious breaches of sovereignty like the invasion of Ukraine, most are undeniably petty.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 25 July 2025
Shameful to once again put the president's petty interests over the needs of Americans.
—Hollie Silverman
andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
The disappearance of dozens of shopping carts, the closure of self-checkout lanes, and a visible rise in shoplifting, panhandling, loitering and petty crime left customers, managers and officials at City Hall all trading blame.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petty
Adjective
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Their overall role is still small but significantly elevated when viewed as part of the non-carbon share.—
Scott Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Aii’s Clean by Design program offers an accessible entry point, especially for small and medium manufacturers, by focusing on low-cost, high-impact upgrades that often pay for themselves quickly.—
Kurt Kipka,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Yet meticulous planning means that there is always a nuanced plan — 4-3-3 is his nominal starting formation, but individual roles are tweaked depending on the opposition.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
13 Aug. 2025
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The macro hasn't changed: chronic fiscal deficits, an eventual glide lower in real rates if nominal cuts meet sticky inflation, and incentives to keep liquidity flowing.—
Bob Haber,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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South suburban committee members, meanwhile, showed parochial loyalty to Kelly.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 July 2025
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In a chamber fraught with parochial interests and personalities in spades, the sprint to finish this by the July 4 holiday is going to be clipped.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Rivera pushed through her routine, adapting to slight errors and fighting for the landing on the dismount.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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These intimate scenes in the upstairs bedroom are the most effective of the entire production, even though the slight attempts at audience interaction don’t make much sense in this context.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Currently, Republicans control the House and Senate, but the margins are narrow.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
5 Aug. 2025
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Some companies have taken early steps, like reducing prior authorization for high-performing providers, but these efforts remain too narrow.—
Rita Numerof,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This makes perfect sense as some expectations, especially trivial and old-fashioned etiquette, are no longer relevant in today's modern world.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
29 July 2025
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And nothing’s too trivial, including comparing his inauguration attendance with that of President Barack Obama.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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There was a broad perception that López Obrador did little to confront the cartels.—
Jesse Hyde,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
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Nowadays, with the film business contracting around blockbusters, the little pictures, the B pictures and the silly pictures have deserted the theaters for television which, in its streaming multiplicity, has room to absorb them.—
Robert Lloyd,
Boston Herald,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Talk of mounting nuclear readiness towards Russia, which has more atomic weapons than any other country in the world, could overshadow more trifling domestic matters, like the Epstein scandal, for instance.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
2 Aug. 2025
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Pixar has long stood out by bringing something less trifling to theatergoing families.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petty. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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