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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of prissy
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
It’s a corny, sporty early-’90s rom-com about a hockey bruiser and a prissy figure skater who team up against the odds to compete in Olympic pairs skating.
—Vulture, 7 Feb. 2022
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
Bows may seem prissy, but there's actually surprisingly versatile.
—Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, 9 Dec. 2021
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
It’s a corny, sporty early-’90s rom-com about a hockey bruiser and a prissy figure skater who team up against the odds to compete in Olympic pairs skating.
—Vulture, 7 Feb. 2022
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
Bows may seem prissy, but there's actually surprisingly versatile.
—Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, 9 Dec. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prissy
Adjective
-
That this wrap-up happens on the stoop of an apartment building provides a nice callback to Past Lives.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2025
-
In other words, this is very much a ROG Ally handheld PC but with some nice Xbox touches that will the overall experience feel more like playing an Xbox.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
The nausea is now mostly in the past, Lauren says, and the Lanes are realizing that getting ready for a third child isn’t as demanding as earlier preparations.—
Nancy Kruh,
People.com,
30 May 2025
-
Work and home will be equally demanding, as Venus meets with Jupiter on June 4.—
Liz Simmons,
StyleCaster,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
The name angel pie gives a few of this dessert's secrets away: The crust is a super delicate meringue that's crisp on the outside but marshmallowy on the inside.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
8 June 2025
-
He was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, had delicate surgery and was sidelined 11 months.—
Chuck Murr,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
Liquids in particular grew 50 percent at the retailer, thanks in part to Mary Ruth’s.—
Emily Burns,
Footwear News,
9 June 2025
-
His curls may be a little grayer, but his ultra-expressive face — acrobatic eyebrows in particular — reflects his eternal curiosity and up-for-anything-ness.—
Rebecca Milzoff,
Billboard,
9 June 2025
Adjective
-
Watch out for slippery roads: Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
7 June 2025
-
But as the Trump administration has rolled out immigration policies targeting Venezuelans, Haitians and Cubans, GOP officials in Miami have had to draw a careful balance between supporting the White House and the many immigrants in their district affected by Trump’s immigration agenda.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Goygol includes 65,000 residents, prim parks, tall pines and occasional Tyrolean architecture.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
-
The people who insist on making sense speak in small, prim voices, trusting their listeners to understand subtleties of tone.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Adjective
-
Hydrangeas can be a bit finicky and may take a few weeks to months to settle in.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
31 May 2025
-
But the finicky weather usually makes for a shorter window.—
Ben Ayers,
Outside Online,
15 May 2025
Adjective
-
But at locations now facing critical shortages, staffing overnight shifts on a routine basis is no longer possible.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
31 May 2025
-
But expert groups were more critical of the proposal.—
Katherine Dillinger,
CNN Money,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prissy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prissy. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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