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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
  • So be careful about selling the Heat short, even if this roster might be one creative wing player short.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Be careful what your advisers are telling you about immigration policy.
    — Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • 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
  • Gap’s CashSoft fabric is a soft cotton blend that feels like cashmere, but isn’t as finicky.
    — Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 11 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
  • There is a particular sort of helplessness that comes from knowing exactly how to fix a computer while being hundreds of miles away from it.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The speech is also a kind of litmus test for translators and adaptors, an opportunity for a politically progressive character to let rip not simply against general human hypocrisy but against the particular sins of a moment.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of particular
Adjective
  • An updo can definitely be formal without looking fussy, and this is a masterclass in hitting exactly the notes.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The soft fabric and wide-leg shape feel current without being fussy, while the elastic waistband is exactly what a long day calls for.
    — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of fussy
Adjective
  • That being said, those in the chip sector looking for partners are getting increasingly picky, with finance not always among their top preferences.
    — Justina Lee,Lisa Kim, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Considering the world of options there are out there, some picky people take years to find the perfect sofa.
    — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of picky
Adjective
  • 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
  • Universal's Potter lands at its resorts in Orlando, Hollywood, Beijing and Osaka are famous for their fastidious attention to detail.
    — Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of fastidious
Adjective
  • That night, somewhere between a racist stranger, a free dessert, my girlfriend publicly shaming a man in a Mediterranean restaurant and our demanding cat, the City of Angels started to feel like home.
    — Mayur Chauhan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • And the longer or more demanding the workout, the more important such fuel becomes.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 Sep. 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 20 Sep. 2026.

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