picayunes

noun

plural of picayune
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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for picayunes
  1. small beer
  2. smoke
  3. small change
  4. trivialities
  5. zeros
  6. trifles
  7. songs
Noun
  • In terms of drinks, colonists didn't have ways to purify their water, so people drank small beer or weak wine, Miller said.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 28 June 2026
  • In comparison, fifth-tier Wrexham must have seemed like small beer, even allowing for the takeover by Reynolds and Mac just a few months earlier.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 26 June 2026
Definition of small beer
Noun
  • Despite the lack of an open flame, the meat picks up the smoke from the grill, highlighted in the beautifully charred edges and marbling.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
  • The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency extended an air quality alert into today for northern and central Illinois as a second wave of wildfire smoke settled over the area.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026
Definition of smoke
Noun
  • Volpe said the annual ranking is meant to celebrate cities that score well - but also encourage lower-ranking cities to make small changes to improve community activity levels.
    — Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 14 July 2026
  • May 21 – June 20 A small change at home could make the whole day feel easier to manage.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
Definition of small change
Noun
  • After debuting in 2007, The Big Bang Theory entertained viewers with the everyday trivialities and obsessions of friends who work in science.
    — Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Definition of trivialities
Noun
  • Across coastal California, the tallies were a string of zeroes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
  • For those on a budget with slightly less zeroes, RPM Bakehouse is a more laissez-faire, cafe-slash bakery.
    — Kate Dingwall, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of zeros
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
Definition of trifles
Noun
  • Within four days, the trio had completed six songs, adopting a simple philosophy that carried through the entire record.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 17 July 2026
  • Still, James and Ian Felice have been writing songs that have shaped both their peers and younger musicians.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2026
Definition of songs
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.

Browse Nearby Words

picayune
picayunes
picayunish
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Cite this Entry

“Picayunes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picayunes. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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