1
as in restless
given to complaining a lot
predictably, the kids riding in the back were fussy passengers, always asking "Are we there yet?"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in finicky
hard to please
cats have a well-deserved reputation for being fussy eaters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in careful
taking, showing, or involving great care and effort
a fussy teacher who reads through papers two and even three times before issuing a grade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in ornate
elaborately and often excessively decorated
the room, with its rococo furniture and its overabundance of knickknacks, is just too fussy for my taste
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fussy
Long car rides can make for fussy, restless kids.
—
Dr. Katherine Williamson, Boston Herald, 15 Mar. 2026
No other product is handed over to the government with such fussy and heavy-handed interference.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Heller notes that restraint matters too—excessive throw pillows can make a primary bedroom feel fussy.
—Jacorey Moon, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026
The days and weeks of fussy, sleepless nights as little ones struggle with teething pain are the downside.
—Sarah Lindenfeld Hall, Popular Science, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fussy
Dr. Katherine Williamson, Boston Herald, 15 Mar. 2026
No other product is handed over to the government with such fussy and heavy-handed interference.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Heller notes that restraint matters too—excessive throw pillows can make a primary bedroom feel fussy.
—Jacorey Moon, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026
The days and weeks of fussy, sleepless nights as little ones struggle with teething pain are the downside.
—Sarah Lindenfeld Hall, Popular Science, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fussy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fussy
Adjective
-
In Nazi Germany, the regime understood that nothing unites a restless population faster than a common enemy.—
Steven Burg,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
-
There, the pioneers—practical, inventive, restless, exuberant white men—clashed with Indigenous peoples, subduing them and a wilderness filled with wild animals and abundant natural resources.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
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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
Adjective
-
Orion is a tight space for four people to navigate, so the crew members have a careful choreography to maximize the data the astronauts can gather.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Through careful tuning of an extended Kalman filter and by taking advantage of bamboo’s natural vibration-damping properties, the system slashes control latency from 15–20 milliseconds down to just 8–10 milliseconds, enhancing responsiveness while keeping flight stable.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As for the ornate headwear, seersucker suits, and profusion of pastels that usually accompany this horse race, well, that’s your call.—
Devra Ferst,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
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Instead, think of the hyper-realistic ornate floral rugs your mom might’ve had sometime in the '90s or early 2000s.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Perhaps through feeling more irritable, more anxious, or wanting to isolate.—
Joy Harden Bradford,
AJC.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Had my symptoms maybe been put down to irritable bowel, for example, that could’ve been ongoing and ongoing and ongoing for a much longer period of time.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Set up a burrito bar for this totally customizable dinner that will leave even the pickiest eaters satisfied.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Fish are picky about their food.—
Mike Kurlansky,
Outside,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Soderbergh extracts some fun from the ensuing cat-and-mouse logistics, from Lori’s meticulous duplication of the Christophers to Julian’s efforts to bluff her into admitting her true intentions.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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The Astor family were the defining dynasty of New York's Gilded Age, and that spirit of grandeur and meticulous hosting has traveled with the brand ever since.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Behind yet another standout performance from Elliot Cadeau, who was named the Final Four’s most outstanding player, the Wolverines weathered a UConn run in the first half that had the massive throng of maize-and-blue fans in Indianapolis feeling nervous.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
-
King had been nervous about the casting process.—
Angelina Mazza,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fussy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fussy. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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