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
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
The cars pushed air around in very specific, very fussy ways to glue the car to the track — but the side effect was that following another car closely was like trying to have a picnic directly behind a leaf blower.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fussy
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
The cars pushed air around in very specific, very fussy ways to glue the car to the track — but the side effect was that following another car closely was like trying to have a picnic directly behind a leaf blower.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fussy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fussy
Adjective
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The Leo moon sparks your restless desires for fun and adventure.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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Deep inside every atom lies a restless world of quarks and gluons—the tiny building blocks that hold everything together, from rocks to stars.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That’s especially true as the region gets an early warm season, allowing more finicky plants like cucumbers and melons time to get more established.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
20 Mar. 2026
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But loading them with coffee is finicky.—
Noah Kaufman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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An assembly of planets in Aries moves through your twelfth house, stirring emotions behind the scenes and asking for careful tending.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
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To the begonia collectors out there, Begona Black Velvet, with large leaves that could have fallen from a maple tree, is worth a careful look.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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One of the museum’s most celebrated exhibits is the priceless Trà Kiệu Pedestal, a huge, ornate altar featuring symbolic images such as Apsara dancers.—
Tamara Hinson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Mar. 2026
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The ornate cornice on the top of the building also collapsed.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Caroly is immediately affected, glued to the TV; John, suddenly irritable, retreats.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
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Rather than get irritable online, Medeiros did something positive about it.—
Dan Medeiros,
The Herald News,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Fish are picky about their food.—
Mike Kurlansky,
Outside,
29 Mar. 2026
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And in that case, perhaps being a picky eater was a good thing.—
Jenna Thompson
March 27,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The meticulous process of turning Doctorow’s historical novel into a musical started with playwright Terrence McNally, who wrote a 60-page treatment in 1994.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
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This meticulous process is all in the name of snagged that Master Chronometer label, meaning that the timepiece is highly accurate and surpasses the threshold for ultra-high performance.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Even small amounts of mercury can cause severe damage to the nervous, digestive and immune systems, as well as to the lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
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Four more years of antibiotics made Morales nervous.—
Eric Boodman,
STAT,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fussy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fussy. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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