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
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
These treatments require careful and ongoing monitoring.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Kirundo 3-Piece Lounge Set Layers are the secret to surviving the South’s finicky fall season.—
Gabriela Izquierdo,
Southern Living,
30 Sep. 2025
-
For decades, the vacuum was thought of as merely a finicky factor to be implemented as well as possible.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The holdup has come from some persnickety deal points, like carving out international streaming rights and reaching consensus on the tech advancements Apple plans to use for its productions.—
Alex Harrington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
-
But Wilson is in his comfort zone as ever with Anderson, playing Francis’s persnickety dedication to the trip’s itinerary with his typical generosity.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
Starting pitching, in particular, figures to be a priority.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
By buying programmatically, advertisers can snatch up inventory likely to reach a particular type of consumer under more specific conditions than possible in linear TV.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite getting dolled up for her latest press run, Blunt does not love wearing fussy dresses or heels to events.—
Starr Bowenbank,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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The goal was not to create a line that felt fussy or that would be uncomfortable on long travel days.—
Caroline Reilly,
Robb Report,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Parents have long used this beloved casserole as a vehicle for sneaking some veggies into picky kids' diets.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
24 Sep. 2025
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Such restrictive menus are not ideal for picky eaters.—
Shindy Chen,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Scorn is a salve for her—an enjoyable expression of her fastidious nature and a coping strategy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Sep. 2025
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The company is nonetheless fastidious about the fundamental details.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The week before was so demanding with Manchester United, Napoli, and especially Arsenal.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Leaf raking is more eco-friendly as well as more physically demanding and time-consuming.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pernickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pernickety. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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