as in careful
hard to please
cats have a reputation for being finicky eaters
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Recent Examples of finicky
As for games, the G2's touch controls are just too finicky to handle precise, reliable gestures in rapid succession, like swiping to move a Tetris block left or right.
—
Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
Not everyone wants to travel with a portable steamer or trust notoriously finicky hotel irons to smooth out their clothing, so investing in wrinkle-free materials from the jump is a great way to cut down the obstacles between you and a day out enjoying your vacation.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2026
The three-cushion stack is linked by elastic bands, so there are no finicky mechanisms to get lost in.
—Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 1 Apr. 2026
The Printed Jacket Nothing solves finicky spring weather—when mornings are crisp and afternoons turn warm—quite like a khaki trench coat.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for finicky
Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
Not everyone wants to travel with a portable steamer or trust notoriously finicky hotel irons to smooth out their clothing, so investing in wrinkle-free materials from the jump is a great way to cut down the obstacles between you and a day out enjoying your vacation.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2026
The three-cushion stack is linked by elastic bands, so there are no finicky mechanisms to get lost in.
—Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 1 Apr. 2026
The Printed Jacket Nothing solves finicky spring weather—when mornings are crisp and afternoons turn warm—quite like a khaki trench coat.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
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.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
2 May 2026
-
Through some careful engineering, Roberts, Alito, and their allies have created a trap for voting-rights cases.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Five is nice, but 17 straight is a dynasty unparalleled in City Section history.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Just the shops and the overall setting is really nice.—
Anne Kadet,
Curbed,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the United States, the actor played secondary roles, usually weary, nervy authority figures, such as the stern mentor (Good Will Hunting) and the persnickety scientist (Deep Blue Sea).—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Francesca’s pinnacle Once a Regency world has implied there’s mass print culture capable of speedy and pervasive distribution of colored images, something as persnickety as vocabulary is probably beside the point.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Even worse, deer aren’t very picky.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The other reason for picky old rockers to show up is that this company achieves some very powerful harmonics on many of those songs, utilizing Marriott’s immersive capabilities.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For most of the nation’s history, the former Confederate states have worked hard to minimize the political influence of Black residents in particular.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
-
The property definitely has five-star comforts, but the service, at least on this particular day, was still experiencing some growing pains.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
The production is a revival of the disappointingly fussy, clumsy, old-fashioned one by Lee Blakeley the company unveiled in 2013 for Conlon and to celebrate the Verdi bicentennial.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Not overcomplicating it, not making it over-fussy.—
Rod Stafford Hagwood,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Tugging on the heartstrings can be a cheap trick in the hands of the wrong songwriter, but the genre’s best songs are redeemed by a fastidious eye and a poetic ear.—
Jack Hamilton,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Some birds, most notably crows, like to give their food a good dunking before eating, so there’s a possibility worms in the birdbath were left by these fastidious birds.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Reliable Service as an Operational Standard Clients in Dallas-Fort Worth should expect something more demanding than friendliness and something less theatrical than branding.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The dual-motor setup targets higher output and improved traction for more demanding driving conditions.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finicky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finicky. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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