1
as in finicky
hard to please
as she got older, she got more and more persnickety
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
lacked the patience to deal with such persnickety tasks as hanging wallpaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aristocratic
being or characteristic of a person who has an offensive air of superiority and tends to ignore or disdain anyone regarded as inferior
his persnickety attitude lost him some friends when they found out what he really thinks of "their kind"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 persnickety
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
What would the notoriously persnickety Corbitt say about those bold additions?
—Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 17 May 2025
Kurkdjian’s policies as head of the department reflect both a persnickety attention to detail and an obsession with creative autonomy.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
Others are patently unsuitable, notably a persnickety couple who prompt one of John’s rare outbursts of frustration with the process.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Apr. 2024
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
What would the notoriously persnickety Corbitt say about those bold additions?
—Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 17 May 2025
Kurkdjian’s policies as head of the department reflect both a persnickety attention to detail and an obsession with creative autonomy.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
Others are patently unsuitable, notably a persnickety couple who prompt one of John’s rare outbursts of frustration with the process.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Apr. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persnickety
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
-
Meanwhile, my nephew, who’s 7, is down for a more challenging build like the Star Wars Paz Vizsla and Moff Gideon Battle set, which is currently $23 off.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Taking the creative helm of Chanel as only the fourth artistic director to ever lead the house, Blazy has been entrusted with one of the biggest and most sought-after — although perhaps not the most challenging — jobs in fashion.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
His aristocratic tastes are reflected in his various building projects, the remains of which have been excavated.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
-
In The Pink Panther, Cardinale starred as the wealthy Princess Dala, whose priceless diamond becomes the target of an aristocratic jewel thief played by David Niven.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Sep. 2025
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
-
For once, the bulk of the anger was directed not at Fosun — the investment group and majority shareholder – and the Molineux hierarchy who have conspired to deal Pereira a difficult hand, but at the head coach himself and his players.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Romancelandia’s social world, harnessed by its business-minded authors, may make its success exceedingly difficult to replicate.—
Rebecca Ackermann,
The Atlantic,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Jack Cutmore-Scott as Julius Beaufort, an arrogant new money banker at the center of New York society with an interest in Ellen.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Jean stepped out as Nia approached—lean and arrogant, a cigarette pinched between her lips.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Nearly every premium marque, from Acura to Volvo, has at least one midsize SUV in its lineup going into 2026, each of which is packed with enough features and amenities to win over even the pickiest of drivers.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Discovering its contents, day in and day out throughout the course of the merriest month of the year, will give you a taste of Glasshouse Fragrances’ bestselling formulas that please even the pickiest of noses.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The players are afforded down time, however, and this first week will be nowhere near as demanding as an in-season training week.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
This division of labor reportedly reduces one of the most physically demanding aspects of solar farm construction.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persnickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persnickety. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share