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
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
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
-
Nevertheless, nice to get an explanation for why Vondrousova has been invisible.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
-
Other names that would be nice to see in the mix are Jon Hamm for Your Friends & Neighbors and Melanie Lynskey for Yellowjackets.—
H. Alan Scott,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Further stymying manufacturing’s renaissance is that plant work isn’t just dirty and physically demanding – albeit less than in prior generations – but also relatively low-paying with limited career prospects.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
But the plaintiffs in the case and the Biden administration said the appeals court was wrong to apply that standard and should have instead analyzed it under the most demanding level, strict scrutiny, because the law impedes adults' access to speech protected by the Constitution.—
June 27,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Birthday party etiquette can be a delicate balance.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
21 June 2025
-
If regular Jenga is like performing delicate surgery, this extra large version from a different company is like performing a dangerous game of minesweeper.—
Parker Hall,
Wired News,
21 June 2025
Adjective
-
All three platforms can cite one particular business for helping drive recent success: financial services.—
Lionel Lim,
Fortune,
22 June 2025
-
How far radiation spreads from any particular release depends on the weather -- wind in particular, but also rain, Bunn said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
21 June 2025
Adjective
-
In reality, Israel overpowered Iran’s military and outwitted its intelligence with stunning efficiency, demonstrating years, if not decades, of careful preparation in under two weeks.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
If allowed, Andrew will likely bring further reputational damage to the monarchy at a time when the royal ship needs a careful steer.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
Go prim and proper with a column silhouette from Emilia Wickstead, or lean into the fairytale feel with a floaty chiffon number from McQueen.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
30 June 2025
-
The trend received backlash from the tennis establishment, which worried the patches interfered with the sport’s prim and proper aesthetic.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
But momentum — a finicky word this time of year — swung massively in their favour in the third period of Game 4.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Star Wars fans can be a finicky bunch, but Tony Gilroy has been fearless, much like the series creator George Lucas, in delivering to them.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
That mindset is gone—owners are sinking money into the franchises, which is critical as the players negotiate their new CBA.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
24 June 2025
-
Businesses and the financial sector in particular have already been warned by experts and government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, that Iran might respond to the U.S.’s air strikes by trying to hack critical digital infrastructure.—
Paolo Confino,
Fortune,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prissy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prissy. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share