as in careful
hard to please
cats have a reputation for being finicky eaters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 finicky
The game's flight model is incredibly complicated, with a focus on realistic modeling and some notoriously finicky landing mechanics.
—
Alan Bradley, Space.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Thus the coffee gods created a world of more discerning (some might say finicky) coffee connoisseurs, one where people now pay $5, $6 and more for a cup of liquid get-up-and-go.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Parrish notes that consistency is key for anthuriums, which can be on the more finicky side in terms of care.
—Rachel Gillett, Martha Stewart, 31 Jan. 2026
Complicating matters was the region’s notoriously finicky weather.
—Outside, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for finicky
Alan Bradley, Space.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Thus the coffee gods created a world of more discerning (some might say finicky) coffee connoisseurs, one where people now pay $5, $6 and more for a cup of liquid get-up-and-go.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Parrish notes that consistency is key for anthuriums, which can be on the more finicky side in terms of care.
—Rachel Gillett, Martha Stewart, 31 Jan. 2026
Complicating matters was the region’s notoriously finicky weather.
—Outside, 31 Jan. 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,
28 Feb. 2026
-
To make the most of spring planting, start with site preparation and careful plant selection.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Neemias Queta made all three of his field goals in the opening quarter, including a nice turnaround hook shot over Jokic and a last-second alley-oop from Pritchard, whose penchant for buzzer-beaters likely drew Denver’s attention away from the lurking big man.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The Executive Rooms have cushy beds, nice hardwood floors, spa showers, jetted tubs, a super-ergonomic office chair, and energizing views of Metcalfe Street.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
What’s more, some species are so persnickety that even low-water activity media won’t do the trick consistently.—
Elizabeth Anne Brown,
Scientific American,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Sugar, butter, eggs, and your choice of thickening agent (flour or cornmeal or a combo of both), come together to make a luscious custard filling that will please even the pickiest of pie eaters.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Cuyana’s System Zipper Tote is another favorite among picky InStyle shopping editors.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This particular shipment likely set sail from Quanzhou, a port on China’s eastern coast that was close to the creative heartlands in the Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces, bound for Temasek, according to Flecker.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Intentionally or not, this particular piece channels the emerald Cartier necklace Marjorie Merriweather Post wore to the Palm Beach Everglades Ball in 1929, a transfixing way to make an entrance.—
Kathryn O’Shea-Evans,
Robb Report,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Relatively disease and pest-free, gladiolus aren't fussy about soil and, once established, are moderately drought-tolerant.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The Serving Spoon has been passed down several generations and serves up soul food fare at a non-fussy spot in Los Angeles County.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The director, Polly Findlay, presents all of this in a fluid and fastidious prestige-teleplay-of-the-week way.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Maria Barriga is fastidious with hers at Oxomoco.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The base model starts at $1,599, while the higher-end Studio Display XDR starts at $3,299 and adds features aimed at more demanding professional use cases, including higher brightness, mini-LED backlighting and a faster refresh rate.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Or in the dancer Mira Nadon, whose body contains a natural shadow, revealing a tension between musical dissonance and the relentlessly demanding and athletic steps she is pushed to perform.—
Jennifer Homans,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finicky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finicky. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
