fastidious

adjective

fa-ˈsti-dē-əs How to pronounce fastidious (audio)
Definition of fastidiousnext
as in careful
hard to please he is very fastidious about how he arranges his music collection, and woe to anyone who dares to mess around with it

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fastidious The offseasons are usually too packed to be so fastidious with his training regimen. — Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 11 July 2026 Where To Eat On 30A From classic Southern fare to bustling rooftop bars to seafood dives, the restaurants scattered along 30A will satisfy (and fill up) everyone, from the most fastidious foodie to the pickiest nibbler. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 July 2026 No such thing as a flop era for the fastidious Atlantic Trivia player. — Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 9 July 2026 The irony is that in not trying to pass muster with more conservative theatergoers (and their fastidious institutional guardians), playwrights have been winning over not just critics but also formerly squeamish artistic directors and perennially nervous Broadway producers. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for fastidious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fastidious
  1. careful
  2. nice
  3. particular
  4. finicky
  5. exacting
  6. persnickety
  7. picky
  8. fussy
Adjective
  • And so far, things seem to be operating smoothly — something local residents have grown to expect, given the high caliber of local elections officials and the careful oversight of political parties.
    — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • His work is known for its careful handling of color and its feel for the mood of ordinary days.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • Go to the Haveli restaurant by the pool for delicious flatbreads and salads, a nice change from the heavier fare at the main fort.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Tennessee has put together a very nice campaign with six wins and just one loss.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of nice
Adjective
  • Unlike Adler Dolomiti, Adler Balance is adults-only and has a particular focus on wellness.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • All of that aligns the series with a particular strain of reality show in which participants are expected to follow certain patterns of behavior that can be neatly edited into episodic arcs.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of particular
Adjective
  • The most finicky part of the setup was actually inserting the battery for the igniter.
    — Noah Kaufman, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The oversized trench coat maintains its spot in the fall capsule wardrobe, while a few more unexpected silhouettes, like the elevated track jacket, offer both protection and elegance in the notoriously finicky weather to come.
    — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of finicky
Adjective
  • Records, especially for aircraft, are very exacting because of the criteria laid down by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).
    — David Szondy October 20, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Known for his exacting, couture-like approach, and an experimental zeal rare among designers at Europe’s largest luxury brands, the Frenchman got his start in fashion by filing, photocopying and cataloguing fabrics at Jean Paul Gaultier.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of exacting
Adjective
  • The team then turned to an open-source model developed in China, which was less persnickety.
    — Stephen Witt, New Yorker, 30 July 2026
  • Imagine creating a new standard of hypersensitive caution about attracting even the most persnickety media criticism, and then applying it for the first time to your son’s wedding.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Definition of persnickety
Adjective
  • Rob Haugen of Michels Family Office said uncertainty over where interest rates are headed has made the firm pickier about investing in the asset class.
    — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The limited prep area has forced me to be incredibly picky about which tools and appliances to display and which to relegate to cabinets.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of picky
Adjective
  • For the no nonsense, a low-maintenance cut like a sharp collarbone lob or a style with no fussy layers frees up your time and hands to plot world domination.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Celebrity hairstylist Brian Magallones considers this the perfect balance between a not-too-fussy and not-too-structured chignon, a style that sounds tough to style without a professional team but is actually quite easy to master at-home.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of fussy

Browse Nearby Words

fast-forwards
fastidious
fastidiously
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Cite this Entry

“Fastidious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fastidious. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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