as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
raised one final, piddling objection to the plan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of piddling
Star Tribune, 3 Dec. 2020
Millions of additional claims are expected to stream in from around the country over the coming weeks, while hiring remains piddling.
—Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2020
What’s particularly baffling is that Syria now produces a piddling amount of oil—about as much as Utah.
—Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2019
That will make the current economic uncertainty look piddling.
—Daniel W. Drezner, Twin Cities, 15 Aug. 2019
In the battle for mind share, in the Trumpian quest to be part of every conversation, the Pixel far outweighs its piddling sales.
—Vlad Savov, The Verge, 16 Oct. 2018
Of those, only four rather piddling victories went the liberals’ way.
—The Economist, 30 June 2018
Learning about other runners' struggles and triumphs helps put my piddling run into a bigger narrative, often allowing me to see myself differently within another story.
—Alli Harvey, Anchorage Daily News, 21 June 2018
How to: Improve the Wi-Fi reception in your home
The most-improved was Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which went from a piddling 2.68 Mbps download speed in 2017 to 59.62 Mbps this year.
—Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle, 12 June 2018
Adjective
Then, the pandemic reduced the schedule to 60 games and Eddie got a piddling 37%.
—Star Tribune, 3 Dec. 2020
Millions of additional claims are expected to stream in from around the country over the coming weeks, while hiring remains piddling.
—Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2020
What’s particularly baffling is that Syria now produces a piddling amount of oil—about as much as Utah.
—Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2019
That will make the current economic uncertainty look piddling.
—Daniel W. Drezner, Twin Cities, 15 Aug. 2019
In the battle for mind share, in the Trumpian quest to be part of every conversation, the Pixel far outweighs its piddling sales.
—Vlad Savov, The Verge, 16 Oct. 2018
Of those, only four rather piddling victories went the liberals’ way.
—The Economist, 30 June 2018
Learning about other runners' struggles and triumphs helps put my piddling run into a bigger narrative, often allowing me to see myself differently within another story.
—Alli Harvey, Anchorage Daily News, 21 June 2018
How to: Improve the Wi-Fi reception in your home
The most-improved was Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which went from a piddling 2.68 Mbps download speed in 2017 to 59.62 Mbps this year.
—Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle, 12 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piddling
Adjective
-
And, in the end, none of the aforementioned might be available except for Ja Morant, who might be only a nominal upgrade, if that.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Companies provide most of the capital; Pegasus contributes a nominal share for compliance reasons and manages the investments.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The rise may seem trifling, but staffers work long hours, and a caffeine budget is a necessity.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The health factor is no trifling qualifier for a player who has missed time with shoulder and oblique injuries, in addition to that unfortunate incident with his pelvic floor.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Knicks are slight favorites to win Game 4, and a win would flip things back around.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
If your car is equipped with front radar or driver‑assist features, dirt on the sensor or slight misalignment from a parking‑lot bump could also be the culprit.—
Hartford Courant,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Stop messing with Wedgie, already.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Why are people messing with those cute little robots?—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Republicans have a tiny four-vote majority in the chamber, and the president’s party historically struggles in midterm balloting.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Lunch is served here too, but during the day most guests prefer to head over to the family’s beach club, Bagno Assunta, which serves classic Italian summer fare, like a solid insalata caprese and spaghetti alle arselle (tiny local clams).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In retirement, he’s gone back to that childhood, mucking the stalls and helping care for a menagerie that includes two horses, 10 mini goats, two mini pigs, a pair of horses and a bunch of chickens and dogs and cats.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Most years consist of routine maintenance, like mucking, where crews work below the lock floor, removing debris from the drainage system using shovels and buckets.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
On the surface, the 50-year-old multimillionaire head coach of LSU getting petty online on a random Saturday in late April is an odd move.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The souring of their relationship has at times bordered on the petty and personal.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Jones noted those were not trivial sums for working families of the era.—
Anna Alejo,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The novel swings between the trivial and the dire, and in her bleakest moments Adora leans on the Stoics for guidance, thinking, C’mon, boys, don’t fail me now!—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piddling. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
