pernickety

adjective

pər-ˈni-kə-tē How to pronounce pernickety (audio)
Definition of pernicketynext
chiefly British
as in careful
hard to please an Oxford don who's definitely a pernickety old chap

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 pernickety Perhaps this pernickety attention to detail is just the next logical step after years of falsification? — Raven Smith, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pernickety
  1. careful
  2. finicky
  3. persnickety
  4. particular
  5. fussy
  6. picky
  7. fastidious
  8. demanding
Adjective
  • There’s that Japanese concept of space and pause—in the wide corridors, the uncluttered lobby, the careful symmetry.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The first step was to tailor it to her size, while being careful to preserve the bespoke construction.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • The most finicky part of the setup was actually inserting the battery for the igniter.
    — Noah Kaufman, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The oversized trench coat maintains its spot in the fall capsule wardrobe, while a few more unexpected silhouettes, like the elevated track jacket, offer both protection and elegance in the notoriously finicky weather to come.
    — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of finicky
Adjective
  • The team then turned to an open-source model developed in China, which was less persnickety.
    — Stephen Witt, New Yorker, 30 July 2026
  • Imagine creating a new standard of hypersensitive caution about attracting even the most persnickety media criticism, and then applying it for the first time to your son’s wedding.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Definition of persnickety
Adjective
  • The Mk 41 system presents a particular integration challenge.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Ultimately, the employee would be directed to wire a large sum of money to a particular bank account controlled by members of the conspiracy, costing the companies more than $129 million, according to prosecutors.
    — Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of particular
Adjective
  • The resulting sensorium never sounds overly fussy or strained for virtuosity.
    — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2026
  • However, as minimalist, light, and midcentury styles gained popularity, Morris says people saw heavy wooden pieces as fussy and old.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of fussy
Adjective
  • The report read this as a sign of a pickier market as the business consolidates.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The holidays can feel overwhelming when your child is a picky eater.
    — Taylor Grothe, Parents, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of picky
Adjective
  • Oeffling is not new to music, but his artistic career is one that’s developed with more of a shrug than fastidious dedication.
    — Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
  • His pencil mustache, his fastidious gestures, and his twinkling eyes are at least as famous as his drinks.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of fastidious
Adjective
  • The operator brings the experience while the machine takes on the physically demanding work.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026
  • For these more demanding tasks, the K70 offers a full-coverage cleaning mode that tackles floors, walls, waterlines and slopes.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of demanding

Browse Nearby Words

pernicious
pernickety
perorate
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Cite this Entry

“Pernickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pernickety. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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