1
as in small
not broad or open in views or opinions
a petty little town that was not ethnically diverse and very happy about the situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
obsessed over even petty problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petty
Immigrants of all stripes commit crimes — from petty to serious — at lower rates than the native-born, while forming the backbone of multiple industries from agriculture and construction to health care and tech.
—
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 13 June 2025
The restrictions will be strictly enforced and violators may be issued a summons for a class 2 petty offense, punishable by a fine of up to $100.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 9 June 2025
The film is described as an intense drama about two Palestinian refugees living in Athens, caught between petty scams and the hope of a better life in Germany.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 21 June 2025
In the end, what started as a petty doormat rivalry has turned into something much more joyful.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 13 June 2025
The restrictions will be strictly enforced and violators may be issued a summons for a class 2 petty offense, punishable by a fine of up to $100.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 9 June 2025
The film is described as an intense drama about two Palestinian refugees living in Athens, caught between petty scams and the hope of a better life in Germany.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 21 June 2025
In the end, what started as a petty doormat rivalry has turned into something much more joyful.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petty
Adjective
-
While the headline-grabbing CEOs are interesting, hearing the stories of smaller companies is absolutely fascinating.—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
-
The local government of the small and far-from-wealthy hometown of Pope Leo XIV has voted to acquire the former Robert Prevost’s childhood home as a future museum.—
Howard Husock,
National Review,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Here’s why: Although technical specifications are still being worked out, the new standard could deliver nominal peak data rates of more than 40Gbps.—
Sarah Lord,
PC Magazine,
1 July 2025
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In practice, that has resulted in the actual levies on imports often being lower than the nominal rate initially announced by the White House.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Brian Colbert ran on a parochial platform focused on garden-variety local issues.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
-
In his quest for a definitive biography of Joyce as a cosmopolitan artist, above the parochial fray, Ellmann downplayed Joyce’s interest in politics.—
Eric Bulson,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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And when detecting the artist approaching flow, the device would emit a subtle cue — a slight change in the sound of their instrument or the lighting — to give the brain a subconscious boost and thereby accelerate and enhance one’s immersion into flow.—
Brandon Sneed,
Rolling Stone,
6 July 2025
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Obviously, the lack of IBIS won't matter in the slightest for astrophotography.—
Kimberley Lane,
Space.com,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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The 2026 battle for the Senate Republicans currently control the U.S. Senate 53-47, a narrow majority that has nonetheless helped shepherd GOP priorities through Congress along party lines.—
Riley Beggin,
USA Today,
12 July 2025
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The class approved in New Hampshire is slightly narrower than that sought by the plaintiffs, who wanted to include parents, but attorneys said that wouldn't make a material difference.—
HOLLY RAMER,
arkansasonline.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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Abandoning a cash cow for an unproven idea is not a trivial undertaking.—
Zain Jaffer,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
-
Barbie; Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning; and F1: The Movie are intentionally trivial.—
Armond White,
National Review,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
This time, however, the mound visit had little effect.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 July 2025
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But most of the middle part is missing, and there’s little to explain how the event unfolded from one stage to the next.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
5 July 2025
Adjective
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Frankly, the more trifling the crime, the better this franchise’s comedy aspirations would work.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2025
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With that much water needed for even the most trifling tasks, the natural question becomes: How does that water reach those data centers, let alone the world’s farms and factories?—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
28 May 2010
Cite this Entry
“Petty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petty. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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