as in careful
hard to please
an Oxford don who's definitely a pernickety old chap
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Recent Examples of pernickety
Perhaps this pernickety attention to detail is just the next logical step after years of falsification?
—
Raven Smith, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2020
Raven Smith, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pernickety
Adjective
-
But turning this moment into lasting advantage will require careful planning, not just short-term opportunism.—
Yinka Adegoke,
semafor.com,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
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
Adjective
-
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
-
The champion’s mindset—persnickety, hyper-critical, focused—is back.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
23 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
That ability, once reserved for living nervous systems, could reshape how robots interact with the physical world and with humans in particular.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Trump has clashed in particular Bad Bunny, one of the most popular musicians in the world, who supported former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.—
Seth Jacobson,
The Providence Journal,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Brassicas can be a little fussy.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Goguette wine cabinets, according to Eurocave’s CEO Benoit Favier, are meant to make the keeping and drinking of high-quality wine a little less fussy (my word, not his).—
Noah Kaufman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Cuyana’s System Zipper Tote is another favorite among picky InStyle shopping editors.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
6 Feb. 2026
-
On top of that headwind, shoppers are getting picky and more demanding of a seamless returns process.—
Peter Sadera,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Which is curious in a politician—especially one so fastidious in other respects.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
The truth is, managing a game and operating within a system of offense are two of the most important things about excelling at the most demanding position in professional sports.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Turns out, von Allmen had the better inside track on the demanding hill.—
Pat Graham,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pernickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pernickety. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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