piddly

adjective

ˈpid-lē How to pronounce piddly (audio)
Definition of piddlynext
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention there's only a piddly difference in price between the two paintings, so take whichever you prefer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 piddly The piddly fines certainly aren’t a deterrent. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026 This stole the top spot from 1993, with its piddly 76 days over 100. — Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 21 Dec. 2024 Byrne is still a United States congressman and that’s no piddly thing. — Kyle Whitmire, al, 7 Nov. 2019 This information isn't written in the controller's piddly instruction manual. — Sam MacHkovech, Ars Technica, 16 Nov. 2018 After Kilauea's 1924 summit explosions, the volcano entered a decade of piddly rumblings, followed by 18 years of silence. — Sophia Yan and Malcolm Ritter, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piddly
  1. nominal
  2. slight
  3. tiny
  4. petty
  5. piddling
  6. insignificant
  7. trivial
  8. paltry
Adjective
  • Rather than source a direct, probably expensive, replacement in the market, Carrick fielded a fluid front four on Saturday, with Bryan Mbeumo deputising as the nominal forward.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • United Russia, the country’s nominal ruling party, was never built to designate an heir; rather, it was meant to ensure that elections produced reliably pro-regime seat-fillers in institutions such as parliament.
    — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • Sale appeared to have a slight hitch in his leg before starting his motion when he was called for his third career balk.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • And earlier this week, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey for June showed a slight pickup in hiring and quits (an indicator of employee confidence) while layoffs were essentially unchanged.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of slight
Adjective
  • The antenna is extremely lightweight, and the team miniaturized it to be both the right size and shape to fit the tiny helicopters, which sit just 6 inches (15 centimeters) above the ground at rest.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • These tiny flies, about 1/8-inch long, are drawn to moist potting soil and decaying leaves on the soil’s surface around houseplants.
    — Leah Chester-Davis, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of tiny
Adjective
  • The show finds ways to expose the worst in its characters, their pettiest, most vengeful, greediest parts.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond petty crime, the department warned that Belgium remains at risk for terrorist attacks and related activity.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of petty
Adjective
  • Then, the pandemic reduced the schedule to 60 games and Eddie got a piddling 37%.
    — Star Tribune, 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
Definition of piddling
Adjective
  • Maybe someone noticed a person acting suspicious, heard a fight, saw someone leaving the area or remembers a detail that seemed insignificant at the time.
    — Simcha Itzkowitz, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • While that isolated figure may not sound like much, that ostensibly insignificant amount of time adds up to a little over 19 days worth of sleep over the course of a year.
    — Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of insignificant
Adjective
  • Small entries compound like deposits in an account; one observation is trivial, but a season of them adds up to a complete, specific picture that no year-end memory could match.
    — James Glover, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Justice John Dixon said Bauer Media had failed to show the claims made about Wilson were substantially true or trivial.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of trivial
Adjective
  • Being paid a paltry second-line rate for the next six years is a bargain.
    — Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Criston Cole has a paltry force and one the Riverlanders loyal to Rhaenyra and Daemon should have no trouble with.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of paltry

Browse Nearby Words

piddling
piddly
pidgin
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Cite this Entry

“Piddly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piddly. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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