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
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 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
Online savings accounts have proliferated in recent years, offering higher yields than the piddly rates attached to ordinary savings accounts, which are less than 0.1%, on average.
—Ryan Dezember, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2022
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
But sometimes self-denial is its own form of power, as you are no doubt noticing, crammed into that piddly apartment.
—Helaine Olen, Slate Magazine, 25 Jan. 2017
Adding an additional 23,000 km is really a piddly amount.
—Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 21 Sep. 2010
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
Online savings accounts have proliferated in recent years, offering higher yields than the piddly rates attached to ordinary savings accounts, which are less than 0.1%, on average.
—Ryan Dezember, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2022
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
But sometimes self-denial is its own form of power, as you are no doubt noticing, crammed into that piddly apartment.
—Helaine Olen, Slate Magazine, 25 Jan. 2017
Adding an additional 23,000 km is really a piddly amount.
—Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 21 Sep. 2010
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piddly
Adjective
-
The nominal plan is to launch the test lander (essentially a crew module of the Blue Moon Mk2 vehicle) on New Glenn.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
-
The rocket's success on this most recent flight hopefully put the vehicle back on course for more nominal missions ahead.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
As long as the overall drink remains sufficiently boozy, cocktails that contain citrus—such as margaritas, daiquiris, and cosmopolitans—can also work well or just require a few slight tweaks.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
-
The camera caught Maher staring at the stage with a slight smile, seemingly unsure how to react.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
The tiny female hippo is already drawing comparisons to the beloved Moo Deng, the Thai baby pygmy hippo who became a global sensation in 2024.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
-
Hopefully, this will help determine whether they’re sparked by an eruption from a single neutron star, or when two of these tiny but massive bodies collide.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
Wembanyama mired his fundamental greatness by either trying too hard to dominate or exerting his physicality in a petty way.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
His girlfriend was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence and petty criminal mischief.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
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
Adjective
-
With the last cut here issued in December 2025 and the potential for rates to actually increase later this year not insignificant, borrowers hoping for some rate relief will have to look elsewhere.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
At the time, the comment felt insignificant.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
That should represent a non-trivial upgrade from Verizon’s cheapest current unlimited-data subscription, the Unlimited Welcome option introduced in August 2023.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
16 June 2026
-
Yet a quiet bohemia remains alive in his work—an insistence that much can exist within a passing, seemingly trivial moment.—
Kelsey Ables,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
The budget is slightly smaller than the current one, sets aside $14 billion in reserves and contains a paltry menu of tax cuts worth $146 million.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
28 May 2026
-
The free-agent market is paltry at best, so Guerin will likely have to make his mark via trade.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piddly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piddly. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
