1
as in choosy
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
Planting the Wrong Variety for Your Climate As noted, tomatoes are a bit picky about their weather and are the most productive at temperatures between 75 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
The moment came after the brothers shared past podcast clips, including an exchange from a May episode, when Travis discussed being a picky eater.
—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
16 June 2026
In my friend group, assigning rooms on a trip tends to be a Hunger Games-style competition that would put even the pickiest Housewives to shame.
—
Michele Corriston,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
The tour gives him a chance to both demonstrate his physical fitness at a time of heightened awareness of the nation's aging political leaders and to introduce himself to the state's notoriously picky voters before the rest of the field swoops in after the November midterms.
—
ABC News,
9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for picky
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
The moment came after the brothers shared past podcast clips, including an exchange from a May episode, when Travis discussed being a picky eater.
—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
16 June 2026
In my friend group, assigning rooms on a trip tends to be a Hunger Games-style competition that would put even the pickiest Housewives to shame.
—
Michele Corriston,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
The tour gives him a chance to both demonstrate his physical fitness at a time of heightened awareness of the nation's aging political leaders and to introduce himself to the state's notoriously picky voters before the rest of the field swoops in after the November midterms.
—
ABC News,
9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for picky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for picky
Adjective
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Being choosy about that content is key.
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The unique flavors are enough to impress even the choosiest casserole connoisseur.
Adjective
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At selective colleges, making that argument matters.
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Equality must not be selective.
Adjective
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Select a compact cultivar, such as ‘Kleim's Hardy' or ‘Crown Jewel', for growing in small spaces or containers, and be aware that these finicky shrubs might not be the best choice for beginner gardeners.
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Hall’s dexterity with finicky varietals is on full display with his entry level Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (both civilly priced at $40 and $45 respectively).
Adjective
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China walked a careful diplomatic line during the conflict.
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All that plus nightly turndown service and 24-hour room service reflect the careful attention paid to guests at Moon Palace The Grand—Cancun.
Adjective
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In Colima city for coffee and a nice meal, visitors should bookmark Puerto Café and Cumbre, a restaurant and bakery that stands out in a scene of growing maturity and ambition.
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Johnson could provide a nice defensive partner with Flagg in the front court with Johnson’s rim protections and ability to switch on the perimeter.
Adjective
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Swift was shown spoon-feeding him, tongue in cheek, like a fussy baby in a restaurant.
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Pairing a floral sundress with a pair of white sneakers turns down the volume on the feminine formality, making the classic piece a bit less fussy.
Adjective
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The world’s second largest economy has also weathered the historic energy crunch triggered by the conflict better than many of its neighbors – in particular due to its copious strategic oil reserves and embrace of green tech and electric vehicles.
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In particular Ben Rice, who’s off to a breakthrough season, and 38-year-old Paul Goldschmidt, who the Yankees allowed to sit out there as a free agent most of the winter until re-signing him right before spring training for what is now looking as the bargain of the offseason at $4 million.
Adjective
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Imagine creating a new standard of hypersensitive caution about attracting even the most persnickety media criticism, and then applying it for the first time to your son’s wedding.
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Francesca’s pinnacle Once a Regency world has implied there’s mass print culture capable of speedy and pervasive distribution of colored images, something as persnickety as vocabulary is probably beside the point.
Cite this Entry
“Picky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picky. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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