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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petty
The Gilded Age chronicles the deliciously petty in-fighting between ascendant and established members of New York City's upper class in the late 19th century.
—
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 3 June 2025
Your petty exploits paid off—modestly but steadily.
—Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
The world of the church was thoroughly intertwined with the world of elite Florentine society and, as a result, entangled in their petty power struggles as well.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 29 May 2025
That included petty acts like cutting off the direct line to the G+W switchboard that Bluhdorn’s widow Yvette had forever.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 3 June 2025
Your petty exploits paid off—modestly but steadily.
—Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
The world of the church was thoroughly intertwined with the world of elite Florentine society and, as a result, entangled in their petty power struggles as well.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 29 May 2025
That included petty acts like cutting off the direct line to the G+W switchboard that Bluhdorn’s widow Yvette had forever.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petty
Adjective
-
These scopes will be able to resolve features as small as 8 inches (20 centimeters) on the lunar surface from an altitude of 31 miles (50 kilometers), according to Firefly.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
18 June 2025
-
The small core teams who operate them are usually experts in biodiversity and community engagement, but not marketing.—
Michelle Greenwald,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
While that may seem nominal, its underlying business is more profitable.—
Ryan Baker,
CNBC,
14 June 2025
-
Ethiopia is projected to lose the most aid in nominal terms, with Jordan, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo also hit particularly hard.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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In his quest for a definitive biography of Joyce as a cosmopolitan artist, above the parochial fray, Ellmann downplayed Joyce’s interest in politics.—
Eric Bulson,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2025
-
Rather, Colbert won after knocking, by his count, on 20,000 doors, wearing out several pairs of size 15 shoes and putting parochial concerns, such as wildfire prevention, disaster preparedness and flood control, at the center of his campaign.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Advertisement Even with such protections, the slightest communication advantage is worrying in the wrong hands, especially when deployed at a mass scale.—
Andrew Luttrell,
Time,
24 June 2025
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This was a shift from May, when Democrats had a slight advantage—48 percent planned to support Democrats, while 45 percent leaned toward Republicans, according to the pollster.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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The Democratic primary for the New York City mayor’s race has tightened further in the latest Marist Poll, with former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ahead but with a narrower lead.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
18 June 2025
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This is due to the narrow percentage of Black filmmakers who have been given the space to make and distribute films for theatrical release.—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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Matter These are not trivial or speculative technologies.—
Virginie Berger,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
-
If the buyer is complaining about cosmetic or trivial things, like the dark blue wall in the main bathroom or the leaky kitchen faucet, think twice about acquiescing.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Each day, heat impacts will last well into the night thanks to very warm overnight low temperatures offering very little in the way of relief.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
23 June 2025
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The issue passed with opposition from Republicans and 18 skeptical Democrats in the House but with relatively little public outcry.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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Frankly, the more trifling the crime, the better this franchise’s comedy aspirations would work.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2025
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With that much water needed for even the most trifling tasks, the natural question becomes: How does that water reach those data centers, let alone the world’s farms and factories?—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
28 May 2010
Cite this Entry
“Petty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petty. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.
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