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
As Berenger’s prissy friend Gene, the character who transforms the most during the course of the play, Phillip Taratula changes in both body and soul.
—
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2026
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
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prissy
Adjective
-
There’s Chateau de Fère and Les Crayères, which is very imposing and old-fashioned; a couple of very nice funky little boutique hotels (including one owned by the Selosse family who make amazing, and amazingly priced, grower Champagne) and lots of good chambres d'hôtes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
Spring peas and wild rice make a nice combo filling for sweet bell peppers!—
Mary Ann Esposito,
Boston Herald,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
In a July interview, Bell said sake is brewed like beer, not distilled like spirits, noting the process is more demanding and delicate -- and to make the best sake, top-notch ingredients are required.—
John Magsam,
Arkansas Online,
2 June 2026
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Granted, at nearly three hours in length, the film is also incredibly demanding — especially its initial half, which, by its nature, becomes a recursive cycle of directionless youth that Rimbaud struggles to break.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Removing the surrounding rock and exposing delicate anatomical details required years of careful work.—
Sanaa El-Sayed,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
-
Adaptation is always a delicate balance.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Teenagers, in particular, wonder if they’ve been given a road block to future success.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
In particular, chip demand for AI has exploded, supporting both the training of AI models and their deployment across applications.—
Rakesh Kumar,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Be careful and don’t overreact.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
And then there’s the prim and unfriendly Stagg, who doesn’t play well with others, who insists on having the office to himself, and who refuses to let the affable Krick be a part of his reports to Ike and the rest of the generals.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
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They’re being taught how to look prim and proper while pouring the perfect cup of tea.—
Shannon Carlin,
Time,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Unpredictable hours, loud noises, finicky clients, wrenches, needles.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
Anton Hur on the myth of the finicky English reader.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Suzanne Swierc Ball State University agreed to pay $225,000 to its former health director, Suzanne Swierc, after she was fired for making a critical social media post following Kirk's assassination, according to reporting from IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
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Studying the history of the Winkie and Lord, Miller, and Muntadas’s video anthology offers us perhaps an alternative path out of our current critical doom loop.—
Jonathan Odden,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prissy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prissy. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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