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
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
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
What’s more, some species are so persnickety that even low-water activity media won’t do the trick consistently.
—Elizabeth Anne Brown, Scientific American, 20 Jan. 2026
The champion’s mindset—persnickety, hyper-critical, focused—is back.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 23 Dec. 2025
Because of that pressurization level, passengers will experience less stress on their bodies and get more oxygen while onboard, which can help to reduce that persnickety jet lag.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 9 Dec. 2025
Maybe also add a little note telling them not to get too persnickety about insuring the blade is mirror-shiny all the time.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, a persnickety bank investigator, played by Tilda Swinton in a frizzle of red hair and clompy shoes, approaches Doyle with a serious charge.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
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
Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
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
What’s more, some species are so persnickety that even low-water activity media won’t do the trick consistently.
—Elizabeth Anne Brown, Scientific American, 20 Jan. 2026
The champion’s mindset—persnickety, hyper-critical, focused—is back.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 23 Dec. 2025
Because of that pressurization level, passengers will experience less stress on their bodies and get more oxygen while onboard, which can help to reduce that persnickety jet lag.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 9 Dec. 2025
Maybe also add a little note telling them not to get too persnickety about insuring the blade is mirror-shiny all the time.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, a persnickety bank investigator, played by Tilda Swinton in a frizzle of red hair and clompy shoes, approaches Doyle with a serious charge.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persnickety
Adjective
-
Unpredictable hours, loud noises, finicky clients, wrenches, needles.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
Anton Hur on the myth of the finicky English reader.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
The most challenging decision of the day might be selecting a picnic spot or which lagoon to snorkel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
What Destin and Andrew have is a mandate to deliver to the audience something utterly unique, utterly endearing, quite challenging, and intelligent.—
Ben Kingsley,
IndieWire,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Blending aristocratic grandeur with youthful energy, the imagery aims to celebrate individuality rather than uniformity, the company noted.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
3 June 2026
-
This area of the Oltrarno is one of huge contrasts where artisan workshops stand meters from the grand palazzi whose aristocratic owners once employed cabinet makers, picture framers, furniture painters, and upholsterers to decorate their opulent homes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Backfill with soil, being careful not to place the soil against the stem, as this can cause rot.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
-
Every Jantzen suit is crafted for a variety of body types with careful attention to support, coverage and ease of movement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
JSerra navigated a difficult regular-season schedule, then avoided upsets in the playoffs.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
But the strength of his acidic, strong, difficult performance was too powerful for the Tonys to deny.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
The tension between the two boils over into a confrontation which only Eisenhower can adjudicate, a task complicated by his own arrogant British subordinate, a wiry and dislikable General Bernard Montgomery - played with a villainous verve bordering on the pantomime by Damian Lewis.—
Daniel Jonah Wolpert,
NPR,
29 May 2026
-
Public policy decisions always need to strive for middle ground, and those leadership decisions often referred to as arrogant can just as easily be called principled leadership.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
The company says the service offers speeds of 150Mbps, which doesn’t match full-fiber gigabit connections but is speedy enough for most usage (and perhaps to keep the pickiest lover on side).—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
The rapper detailed everything from how all of his kids were blessed with his looks to how RZA is a picky eater and Riot has a sweet tooth.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
In a July interview, Bell said sake is brewed like beer, not distilled like spirits, noting the process is more demanding and delicate -- and to make the best sake, top-notch ingredients are required.—
John Magsam,
Arkansas Online,
2 June 2026
-
Granted, at nearly three hours in length, the film is also incredibly demanding — especially its initial half, which, by its nature, becomes a recursive cycle of directionless youth that Rimbaud struggles to break.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Persnickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persnickety. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
