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
The composer shows himself a cartoonish James Bond-type, battling with his prissy critics, while also dallying with his seductive wife, who is represented in opulent violin solos.
—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
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
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prissy
Adjective
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In Colima city for coffee and a nice meal, visitors should bookmark Puerto Café and Cumbre, a restaurant and bakery that stands out in a scene of growing maturity and ambition.
-
Johnson could provide a nice defensive partner with Flagg in the front court with Johnson’s rim protections and ability to switch on the perimeter.
Adjective
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In a demanding, real-world performance setting — a capstone exercise, a live performance, a high-stakes simulation — the goal is not to eliminate all mistakes, but to stay in control and navigate the zone of being uncomfortable.
-
New York crowds are passionate, honest, and demanding.
Adjective
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This is a delicate and dicey subject to even bring up, since the industry right now is in the grip of multiple perceptions and anxieties about what AI portends for the future of entertainment.
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But as the djinn becomes embodied, the delicate balance between the real and the supernatural starts to falter.
Adjective
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The world’s second largest economy has also weathered the historic energy crunch triggered by the conflict better than many of its neighbors – in particular due to its copious strategic oil reserves and embrace of green tech and electric vehicles.
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In particular Ben Rice, who’s off to a breakthrough season, and 38-year-old Paul Goldschmidt, who the Yankees allowed to sit out there as a free agent most of the winter until re-signing him right before spring training for what is now looking as the bargain of the offseason at $4 million.
Adjective
-
China walked a careful diplomatic line during the conflict.
-
All that plus nightly turndown service and 24-hour room service reflect the careful attention paid to guests at Moon Palace The Grand—Cancun.
Adjective
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This month’s nail trends feel less prim-and-proper and more playful—think vivid colors and striking patterns that look like they’ve been pulled straight from a vibrant beach towel, fruit stand, or a sunset.
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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.
Adjective
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Select a compact cultivar, such as ‘Kleim's Hardy' or ‘Crown Jewel', for growing in small spaces or containers, and be aware that these finicky shrubs might not be the best choice for beginner gardeners.
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Hall’s dexterity with finicky varietals is on full display with his entry level Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (both civilly priced at $40 and $45 respectively).
Adjective
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Everyday businesses most at risk To counter the threat, businesses and leaders should invest in cyber defenses, upgrade old systems or patch faulty software, and limit who has access to critical systems, the Five Eyes leaders said.
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Commercial vessels and oil tankers preparing to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most critical strategic waterways for global trade flows, maintain their wait in the Gulf of Oman, on June 17, 2026.
Cite this Entry
“Prissy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prissy. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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