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
The Perks of Free Kids Meals for Parents Omni’s new summer offer puts a spotlight on the pain points of traveling with picky eaters.
—
Liz Regalia, Parents, 7 July 2025
In Materialists, Lee plays Trevor, one of Lucy's more picky clients whose entire dating criteria revolves around finding a woman who's fit and has a BMI under 20.
—EW.com, 14 June 2025
Good tenants are hard to find, and Norah is a picky landlord, and an entertaining one.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 11 June 2025
Finding fault that someone is smiling is really picky.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for picky
Liz Regalia, Parents, 7 July 2025
In Materialists, Lee plays Trevor, one of Lucy's more picky clients whose entire dating criteria revolves around finding a woman who's fit and has a BMI under 20.
—EW.com, 14 June 2025
Good tenants are hard to find, and Norah is a picky landlord, and an entertaining one.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 11 June 2025
Finding fault that someone is smiling is really picky.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for picky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for picky
Adjective
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Companies like Amazon implement selective returnless returns based on algorithms that consider customer history and product value.—
Roger Dooley,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
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To correct this, smaller, selective multilateral groupings should be convened under the NPT’s aegis and seek agreement on concrete questions of proliferation, escalation, and safety.—
STACIE E. GODDARD,
Foreign Affairs,
28 July 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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The new process works well enough, but the reader can be finicky.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
22 July 2025
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The touring circuit had previously been dependent on stars, but humans are finicky and capricious.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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State officials are careful to identify the correct individual with the precise address before sending any money.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
25 July 2025
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The trailer is careful to showcase the film’s scale – fighter planes soar, speedboats roar, trains careen, and cities flash by in a blur – while keeping plot details tantalizingly out of reach.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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And, the embroidery on the pillowcases adds a nice touch.—
Shalwah Evans,
People.com,
14 July 2025
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The units also vary in shape: the cube is nice for nightstands, while the wider grand size works well on large dressers.—
Jamie Fischer,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Bottom line: If the fabric is fussy, valuable, or sentimental, let the experts handle it.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
28 July 2025
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The restaurant is slightly upscale, without being fussy, and part of a powerhouse group that operates Street & Co., Fore Street, and Standard Baking Co.. Don’t miss the cloverleaf rolls, halibut with brown butter and hazelnuts, and whatever the custard of the day is.—
Jacqueline Dole,
Travel + Leisure,
26 July 2025
Adjective
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But Wilson is in his comfort zone as ever with Anderson, playing Francis’s persnickety dedication to the trip’s itinerary with his typical generosity.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
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What would the notoriously persnickety Corbitt say about those bold additions?—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
17 May 2025
Adjective
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In these ways, Norman feels intertwined with so much Charlotte history, with so many important Charlotte people, of a particular time in the city.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 July 2025
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That’s not the fault of Boll & Branch, that is just how this particular cotton weave works.—
Jessica Hartshorn,
Flow Space,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Picky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picky. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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