as in careful
hard to please
cats have a reputation for being finicky eaters
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of finicky
Farr recorded the album on vintage TASCAM multi-track recorders and did his overdubs on reel-to-reel tape, a finicky process that stretches the tape and imbues the music with the ghosts of previous takes.
—
Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 14 Jan. 2026
Today, any time spent behind the wheel of a 1960s-era race car—sans power steering and with a finicky manual gearbox—comes with a newfound respect for drivers of the period who piloted them around global circuits in competition.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 12 Jan. 2026
Hiring these innovative—albeit, sometimes finicky—Gen Zers may sound like a gamble for traditional workplaces.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
Wait for a dry, cold day to make the South's most finicky candy—then enjoy each ethereal, sugary bite.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finicky
Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 14 Jan. 2026
Today, any time spent behind the wheel of a 1960s-era race car—sans power steering and with a finicky manual gearbox—comes with a newfound respect for drivers of the period who piloted them around global circuits in competition.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 12 Jan. 2026
Hiring these innovative—albeit, sometimes finicky—Gen Zers may sound like a gamble for traditional workplaces.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
Wait for a dry, cold day to make the South's most finicky candy—then enjoy each ethereal, sugary bite.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finicky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finicky
Adjective
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Leeds are right on the limit of their profitability and sustainability (PSR) projections, but with some careful rebalancing of the finances, this could be a swing worth taking.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And this is in a nice, pretty on-campus facility, not the old, dumpy Astrodome (although the Astrodome is still up, which is another story).—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Here’s how to stay safe The recent snow and ice storm turned much of the nation into a winter wonderland—from the safety of a nice, cozy sofa indoors.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The champion’s mindset—persnickety, hyper-critical, focused—is back.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
23 Dec. 2025
-
Because of that pressurization level, passengers will experience less stress on their bodies and get more oxygen while onboard, which can help to reduce that persnickety jet lag.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
9 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Water Quality While the water from your faucet is generally ok for most other houseplants, peace lilies are picky about their water.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, shared tidbits about his three kids with longtime partner Rihanna, detailing everything from how all of his kids were blessed with his looks to how RZA is a picky eater and Riot has a sweet tooth.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Graham, in particular, has been on a war path over the negotiations, accusing Republicans of not fighting hard enough to reclaim the narrative on immigration after the death of Alex Pretti last weekend.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Jan. 2026
-
LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman has long believed that anyone wanting to pursue entrepreneurship in particular will have to dedicate themselves to their idea to get it off the ground.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Gus and Marty’s is exactly what this corner of Brooklyn needed—elevated yet un-fussy, an essence of real warmth, and genuinely great food.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
-
For others, gloves feel unnecessary, awkward, or even a little fussy.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Under her fastidious eye, Hermès became known for more than silk scarves and Birkins, establishing itself as a purveyor of outerwear, leatherwear, knitwear, and shirting.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Their prestige suffers because it is conflated in the public’s mind with long lines at the DMV, fastidious building inspectors, parking tickets—the stuff of local functionaries.—
Franklin Foer,
The Atlantic,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Brooks sat for roughly 10 hours of interviews over five sessions — a demanding schedule for a 99-year-old subject, but one Apatow approached with care.—
Stephen Silver,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The incident, blown out of proportion in his opinion, was, on the contrary, an example of how demanding the crowd can be at Juventus.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finicky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finicky. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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