prissy

adjective

Definition of prissynext
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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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 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 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 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 Bows may seem prissy, but there's actually surprisingly versatile. — Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, 9 Dec. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prissy
  1. nice
  2. demanding
  3. delicate
  4. particular
  5. careful
  6. prim
  7. finicky
  8. critical
Adjective
  • Go to the Haveli restaurant by the pool for delicious flatbreads and salads, a nice change from the heavier fare at the main fort.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Tennessee has put together a very nice campaign with six wins and just one loss.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of nice
Adjective
  • And as routine tasks are automated, workers could lose opportunities to develop the experience needed for more demanding work.
    — Lindsay Dodgson, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The Sun enters your 12th House, drawing your attention toward rest, reflection, privacy, unfinished matters, and everything easier to hear when the outside world becomes less demanding.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of demanding
Adjective
  • One example involves preparing jianbing, a traditional Chinese savory crepe, which requires a robot to coordinate several delicate movements.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Watch his hypnotic Instagram Reels, and you’ll be transfixed by his meticulous brushwork, application of delicate gold leaf, and detailed flourishes.
    — Emma Jacobson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of delicate
Adjective
  • Determining whether a particular formation protocol will maintain long-term battery performance can require months or years of testing.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Fortunately, Apple says customers affected by this particular display issue should contact AppleCare for a replacement.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of particular
Adjective
  • Along with potentially leeching microplastics into your food, plastic food storage containers absorb stains, odors, and flavors, and many require careful hand-washing to prevent them from warping.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Gallery visitors were careful not to step on the sprawling assemblage of photographs, drawings and artifacts scattered across the floor.
    — Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • But these townswomen — whether the undersexed Bakerwoman (Ella Bruccoleri ) or the prim, cruel busybody the Tailor’s Wife (a deliciously scheming Elizabeth Debicki) — are deeply unhappy with their own lot in life.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Miu Miu’s design style under Miuccia Prada centers around classic silhouettes made structural and formal, pairing prim styles with something more masculine, like boxers with blouses.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of prim
Adjective
  • The most finicky part of the setup was actually inserting the battery for the igniter.
    — Noah Kaufman, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The oversized trench coat maintains its spot in the fall capsule wardrobe, while a few more unexpected silhouettes, like the elevated track jacket, offer both protection and elegance in the notoriously finicky weather to come.
    — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of finicky
Adjective
  • Key Takeaways These artificial channels are up to five times more selective for lithium, offering a simpler way to extract the critical battery material.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Seeking to acquire as wide a tent of support as possible, Student List purposefully left its position on most critical issues outside of corruption vague and noncommittal.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of critical

Browse Nearby Words

prisons
prissy
pristine
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Cite this Entry

“Prissy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prissy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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