as in small beer
something of little importance
our lives don't amount to a picayune in the great scheme of things
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for picayunes
Noun
-
In the bar, besides those coming and going, there were also two people sitting at a table: a toothless man, who sipped a small beer while rolling a cigarette with the leisurely pace of someone who had nothing else to do that day, and a very fat woman with purple streaks in her hair.—
Óscar Martínez,
The Dial,
30 Apr. 2026 -
Compared to those turbulent days, the second biggest defeat of Parkinson's reign is very small beer.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Beneath the fruit notes lie layers of citrus peel, black pepper, light smoke, and faint olive brine.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
The scene mirrored the energy of a film set, all drama and specific lighting and smoke billowing from mysterious corners, honoring the house’s relationship with cinema.—
Julissa James,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Even a small change in your eyesight or hearing abilities can increase your fall risk.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
12 May 2026
-
November 22 – December 21 One small change could help everything run more smoothly.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
The Cubs did just enough to scratch a run across against Braves lefty Chris Sale, and the bullpen kept tossing up zeros en route to a 2-0 victory to snap a four-game losing streak.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
-
Work fewer than 35 years and the SSA plugs zeros into the missing slots, which drags your benefit down.—
Allison Palmer,
Charlotte Observer,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
But in the past year, the scope of insider trading has grown to unprecedented levels thanks to new platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket that offer bets on everything from major world events to celebrity trifles.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Treaties were trifles compared to armies and bullets.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The show is designed to teach life skills through music, from trying new veggies to winding down for bed, with songs and content that have become a go-to resource for millions of parents looking to learn and bond with their children.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
-
In fact, she’s been struggling to write songs for several years due to the traumatic experience of being raped in high school.—
Katie Mannion,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Picayunes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picayunes. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
