PIFFLING Synonyms: 120 Similar and Opposite Words

piffling 1 of 2

adjective

ˈpi-flən

Definition of piffling

as in nominal

so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention from his perspective as a billionaire, what the governor got paid was a piffling amount

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

piffling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of piffle

as in blundering

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for piffling

Adjective

The latest cells can retain around 90 percent of their nominal capacity at temperatures as low as -40°C (-40°F), outperforming conventional lithium-ion chemistries, particularly LFP.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026
Recordings averaged six hours and 38 minutes, roughly half a battery’s nominal life, the report said.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of nominal

Verb

Only a blundering idiot could spoil such an alliance and threaten damage to Florida’s economy.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
On Monday, the first day of the trial in which Basabe is representing himself without an attorney, the proceedings were shaded by Basabe’s blundering legal missteps and procedural chaos.

— Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026

Definition of blundering

Adjective

Davis held a slight lead Wednesday, and the race between Murphy and Democratic challenger Raymond Smith was particularly close.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Nov. 2026
The slight gap between the two candidates doesn’t bode well for Bass, since Raman is expected to secure a larger portion of the late-arriving ballots in the coming days.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of slight

Verb

But however janky, the system just about works for the ornery menfolk muddling their way through it, with their many beefs mostly resolved with a bottle of lethally alcoholic local tipple chacha, or a punch to the face, or both.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Drop in the cinnamon sticks and cloves, gently muddling once or twice to release their aroma.

— John Kell, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026

Definition of muddling

Adjective

The former sheriff claimed Luna has presided over a deep decline in department morale and staffing while being too soft on drug users, the homeless and petty criminals.

— Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Takeshi’s father is a petty and proud man, in ways continually expanded upon throughout the film’s runtime, though how he’s actually framed never truly changes.

— Kambole Campbell, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of petty

Verb

Magnetars Neutron stars are boggling objects all by themselves.

— Phil Plait, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2026
Hamaguchi told Deadline that the team painstakingly cemented Vincent and Yuffie into irrevocable mainstays while also giving Zack (not available in my preview) an increasingly important role in the trilogy’s larger time-boggling mystery.

— Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of boggling

Adjective

Chris regards his role in the deaths and disappearances of thousands of innocents with a weary shrug—and, on rare dark nights of the soul, a piddling note of regret.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026
Then, the pandemic reduced the schedule to 60 games and Eddie got a piddling 37%.

— Star Tribune, Star Tribune, 3 Dec. 2020

Definition of piddling

Verb

The administration was bungling the withdrawal and struggled to evacuate American citizens and Afghan allies amid the chaos.

— Azadeh Moaveni, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
The combustion of Graham Platner’s candidacy in Maine is another blow to a Democratic Party trying to mend its reputation after bungling the 2024 presidential election.

— Editorial Board, Washington Post, 9 July 2026

Definition of bungling

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.

Browse Nearby Words

piffles

piffling

pig

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Piffling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piffling. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of piffling

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

quondam

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes