as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
raised one final, piddling objection to the plan
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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
Verb
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
-
Treats and train rides are available for a nominal fee.—
Pomerado News,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
-
Presumably, the series can conclude when our nominal adults finally do get grown.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Advertisement Even with such protections, the slightest communication advantage is worrying in the wrong hands, especially when deployed at a mass scale.—
Andrew Luttrell,
Time,
24 June 2025
-
This was a shift from May, when Democrats had a slight advantage—48 percent planned to support Democrats, while 45 percent leaned toward Republicans, according to the pollster.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
Tech has a tiny presence on the Southeast Asia 500, generating just under 3% of the list’s total revenue.—
Lionel Lim,
Fortune,
22 June 2025
-
What started as a tiny general store selling locally made goods and sustainable living products has expanded to include a full-service coffee bar and bakery.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
21 June 2025
Adjective
-
The film is described as an intense drama about two Palestinian refugees living in Athens, caught between petty scams and the hope of a better life in Germany.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
21 June 2025
-
In the end, what started as a petty doormat rivalry has turned into something much more joyful.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
However, legal experts say this restriction, like other ethics laws, wouldn’t apply to the President or Vice-President, an exemption that is far from trivial.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
23 June 2025
-
But Philadelphia needs a big upgrade, not a trivial one.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
James cuts back inside onto his right foot, fooling the defender, rather than going to the byline off his left foot.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Each plays a role in fooling their foe, who captures the turtle, while the deer, heeding the turtle’s good counsel, manages a sly escape.—
John Nemec,
The Conversation,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Frankly, the more trifling the crime, the better this franchise’s comedy aspirations would work.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2025
-
With that much water needed for even the most trifling tasks, the natural question becomes: How does that water reach those data centers, let alone the world’s farms and factories?—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
28 May 2010
Verb
-
These include avoiding idling in drive-thru lanes, carpooling, taking public transit or walking, and biking for short trips.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
-
What To Know To help reduce ozone formation, residents are encouraged to avoid idling in drive-thru lanes, and instead consider alternatives like sharing a ride or walking in.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Piddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piddling. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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