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
  • The woman and her children lived in the nice part of the house and the foster girls — three to five at a time — ate dinner separately in the basement.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
  • In an era where millions of recipes are made for content consumption as much as actual consumption, traveling back in time for someone’s beloved 1970 banana bread recipe sounds pretty nice.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of nice
Adjective
  • The conductors who oversee the recording of the movie scores are portrayed as hyper-demanding corporate perfectionists.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Quantum computers could eventually solve very demanding computational problems much faster than regular computers.
    — Sophya Garashchuk, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of demanding
Adjective
  • Try a cider flight to experience several of Seminary Hill’s delicate and impressive ciders which range from semi-dry to dry and from still to sparkling.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
  • But Democrats don’t have to share the spotlight with the president, so their balancing acts are not as delicate as those confronting their Republican opponents.
    — Julio Borquez, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of delicate
Adjective
  • True crime stories also happen to be a particular forte for the creative team, stressed François Aramburu, co-producer at Fontaram Productions.
    — Ed Meza, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Someone with a visa valid for several more years, for example, might still be admitted for only a few months on a particular trip.
    — Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of particular
Adjective
  • Democratic congressional candidates will also need to be careful about balancing partisan messages to their base with more measured appeals to independent voters.
    — Julio Borquez, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But perhaps the biggest challenge of all was being extremely careful not to pass moral judgment on the story or any of the characters being portrayed.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • There’s no prim and proper dress code here—just fashion at its most entertaining.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 27 Sep. 2026
  • As Mona loses herself in her character, a building superintendent named Miss Danielle, her wardrobe, courtesy of costume designer Stacey Battat, goes from prim cardigans to ripped jeans to an actual coverall she’s stolen from a janitor.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 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
  • Accessibility At 900 feet high, accessibility played a critical role in the project.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Washington has placed greater emphasis on producing critical weapons at higher rates.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 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 10 Oct. 2026.

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