1
as in choosey
hard to please
a picky cat who would only eat one particular kind of food, and only if it was served in his special dish
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in selective
tending to select carefully
she's picky, but she always finds the best quality in fresh meat and fish
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of picky
With more inventory available, buyers have become exceedingly picky.
—
Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 22 May 2025
Although Noel is a little undersized for the position (5-foot 10, 194 pounds), the Bills haven’t been picky about those measurables in the Z receiver position in the past.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
The Braves are not in a position to be picky about defense.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025
Sometimes gratitude came easily, such as when Deb helped their kids, who were picky eaters, become more adventurous.
—Rhaina Cohen, The Atlantic, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for picky
Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 22 May 2025
Although Noel is a little undersized for the position (5-foot 10, 194 pounds), the Bills haven’t been picky about those measurables in the Z receiver position in the past.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
The Braves are not in a position to be picky about defense.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025
Sometimes gratitude came easily, such as when Deb helped their kids, who were picky eaters, become more adventurous.
—Rhaina Cohen, The Atlantic, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for picky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for picky
Adjective
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With no predators, external threats or competitors, demodex mites have no selective pressures, Perotti explained.—
Kameryn Griesser,
CNN Money,
30 May 2025
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In addition to the general tariffs, Trump launched selective reciprocal tariffs much higher than the 10% general charge.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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While tariffs may lead to consumers being more choosy, Link said the overall macroeconomic picture still looks positive, bolstered by lower interest rates, a steady job market and strong consumer savings.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
4 Mar. 2025
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And by that time in her career, Salonga could be choosy.—
Robert Ito,
New York Times,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Hydrangeas can be a bit finicky and may take a few weeks to months to settle in.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
31 May 2025
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But the finicky weather usually makes for a shorter window.—
Ben Ayers,
Outside Online,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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Watch out for slippery roads: Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
7 June 2025
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But as the Trump administration has rolled out immigration policies targeting Venezuelans, Haitians and Cubans, GOP officials in Miami have had to draw a careful balance between supporting the White House and the many immigrants in their district affected by Trump’s immigration agenda.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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That this wrap-up happens on the stoop of an apartment building provides a nice callback to Past Lives.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2025
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Reyes was a nice spring training story, but the Yankees were fooled by meaningless February and March stats.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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But this approach is a bit fussy for me—I'd rather keep it low-key and bring as few valuables to the beach as possible.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
28 May 2025
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Compared to hearty, flexible grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot is the fussy artist in a world of engineers.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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What would the notoriously persnickety Corbitt say about those bold additions?—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
17 May 2025
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Jonathan Pryce plays the persnickety headmaster who prefers to keep politics outside the school walls.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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Liquids in particular grew 50 percent at the retailer, thanks in part to Mary Ruth’s.—
Emily Burns,
Footwear News,
9 June 2025
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His curls may be a little grayer, but his ultra-expressive face — acrobatic eyebrows in particular — reflects his eternal curiosity and up-for-anything-ness.—
Rebecca Milzoff,
Billboard,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Picky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picky. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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