as in nice
informal + disapproving
having or showing the annoying attitude of people who care too much about dressing and behaving properly and who are easily upset by other people's behavior, language, etc.
She was too prissy to wear jeans. a prissy do-gooder
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Recent Examples of prissy
Only on Industry can listening to one’s conscience come off as prissy and weak.
—
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
Despite its heavy premise, the movie also has absurdities, among them Conan O’Brien as a judgmental, prissy therapist.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2025
Albee's 1962 play won a Tony Award, and would have also won a Pulitzer Prize for drama, if the prissy trustees of Columbia University hadn't overruled the jury.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2023
Some of that’s changing times, some of that is because a not-insignificant portion of W.A.S.P. fans are prissy suburbanites themselves.
—Andy O'Connor, SPIN, 13 Jan. 2023
McGregor speaks with a prissy American accent that in its own way is as expressive as Ray’s trumpet playing.
—Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Oct. 2022
The former embodies Professor Dovey, a prissy headmistress in Tweety Bird-yellow threads, who’s always going on about the rules, while Theron’s evil-minded Lady Lesso takes her fashion cues from Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 19 Oct. 2022
Sharon Sanders: — and perfume and being prissy (laughs).
—CBS News, 21 May 2022
After her father’s death, Delilah Green grew up in the company of her frosty stepmother, Isabel, and prissy stepsister, Astrid—so as soon as high school was over, Delilah left town and never looked back.
—Keely Weiss, Harper's BAZAAR, 25 Feb. 2022
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
Despite its heavy premise, the movie also has absurdities, among them Conan O’Brien as a judgmental, prissy therapist.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2025
Albee's 1962 play won a Tony Award, and would have also won a Pulitzer Prize for drama, if the prissy trustees of Columbia University hadn't overruled the jury.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2023
Some of that’s changing times, some of that is because a not-insignificant portion of W.A.S.P. fans are prissy suburbanites themselves.
—Andy O'Connor, SPIN, 13 Jan. 2023
McGregor speaks with a prissy American accent that in its own way is as expressive as Ray’s trumpet playing.
—Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Oct. 2022
The former embodies Professor Dovey, a prissy headmistress in Tweety Bird-yellow threads, who’s always going on about the rules, while Theron’s evil-minded Lady Lesso takes her fashion cues from Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 19 Oct. 2022
Sharon Sanders: — and perfume and being prissy (laughs).
—CBS News, 21 May 2022
After her father’s death, Delilah Green grew up in the company of her frosty stepmother, Isabel, and prissy stepsister, Astrid—so as soon as high school was over, Delilah left town and never looked back.
—Keely Weiss, Harper's BAZAAR, 25 Feb. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prissy
Adjective
-
While everyone was nice enough and ready to help when asked, the service is a bit more hands-off.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Each bonkers bit is a nice reminder not to take anything too seriously.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Not all musicals will be as demanding as that.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
-
My offspring are way more demanding.—
Allison Tibaldi,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Because of its delicate nature, a special crate has to be built for its transport.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The approach could help prevent both the robot and the satellite from spinning or drifting during delicate repairs.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There, Yanxiao began to realize how particular Liu’s approach to antiquity was.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The combination of the imagery and the operational context has prompted particular interest in the distinctive markings visible on the bombs, which differ from those typically seen on standard JDAM configurations.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The best way to attain them during this conjunction of Venus and Saturn in your financial zone would be to set careful guardrails around your spending.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
No amount of sweeping or careful stepping keeps it at bay; shoes quickly collect a film of dust or thick mud.—
Katie Strasberg Rousso,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Watts was polished and prim, outfitted in a strapless drop-waist top, which draped artistically over her matching cigarette trousers.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Chief among them is the late and especially great Dame Maggie Smith, who gave one of her most powerful and enduring performances as the prim and wise Violet Crawley.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Ranunculus Another gorgeous-yet-finicky flower is the ranunculus.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The stir-together crust takes mere minutes, and there’s no finicky custard to make.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
9 Mar. 2026
-
His research reveals that airlines cut costs in critical areas to prop up the dirt-cheap prices.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prissy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prissy. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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