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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
But loading them with coffee is finicky.—
Noah Kaufman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In the United States, the actor played secondary roles, usually weary, nervy authority figures, such as the stern mentor (Good Will Hunting) and the persnickety scientist (Deep Blue Sea).—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
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Francesca’s pinnacle Once a Regency world has implied there’s mass print culture capable of speedy and pervasive distribution of colored images, something as persnickety as vocabulary is probably beside the point.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But unlike at some jungle retreats, which demand a certain ability to rough it, even the most spider-averse will feel at home here—kids in particular.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
-
District Attorney Vern Pierson thinks meeting with Denise – in particular – may have been Muller's objective for confessing all along.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The fussy Moon activates your 8th House of Intimate Topics, so joint finances or favors may feel sensitive and need clearer agreements.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
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Briany, with her plump cheeks and full head of dark hair, wasn’t normally this fussy.—
Jeff Ernsthausen,
ProPublica,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
While most Disney World restaurants participate in the dining plan, not all of them do, which can limit options for picky eaters.—
Megan duBois,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
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Even the pickiest of eaters will love this salad.—
Andre Fowles,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Prince and Princess of Wales are fastidious about dropping off and picking up their kids from school, even with their busy royal schedules and a nanny.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
12 Mar. 2026
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His wizardry was displayed Sunday in fastidious massaging of volumes, sonorities and interplays, always with an undercurrent of urgency.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Another former worker, Tomás Francisco, noted the job often required long hours in physically demanding positions.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Perhaps the campaign trail is too demanding?—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pernickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pernickety. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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