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
-
Based on the two Argentines’ limited head-to-head history on the Challengers circuit — all three meetings had been won by Burrachaga in three sets — the son of one of his country’s most famous soccer players was the nominal favorite.—
Dale Robertson,
Houston Chronicle,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The lawsuit alleges Freeman Funeral Home accepted the baby’s remains for a nominal $500 fee but never followed through on its promise to provide him with a proper Christian burial.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
1 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
-
Meanwhile, walnuts lend a slight crunch throughout.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Cloud cover is forecasted to stick around all day, and temperatures are likely to top out in the low 80s this afternoon with a slight breeze from the south.—
Lauren Bostwick,
CBS News,
11 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
-
With little more than a few beach chairs and a tiny oceanfront bar, these cozy accommodations feel perfectly remote and removed, just what the doctor ordered for your stay on Anegada.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The flashes occurred as tiny fragments of cosmic material, or micrometeoroids, impacted the lunar surface.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Whether shoveling your driveway, building a snow man with the kids, or just generally mucking around in the cold, sleet and snow, Muck Boots will keep you comfortable and protected.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
For power users, this sort of thing can’t help but read as needling, even petty platform quirks.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Season 1 was a full-on sensation, powered by Steven Yeun and Ali Wong's performances as Danny and Amy, two strangers whose petty clash on the road snowballs into a vicious feud.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
So Minnesota’s spot in the standings is likely soon to be cemented, which will make the Wolves’ games themselves trivial.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Space toilets ultimately need to work This is not a trivial matter.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piddling. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
