1
as in minor
lacking importance
deciding what you want to do for a living is no trifling matter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slight
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
trifling differences between the theatrical and DVD versions of the movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in flirting
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun
do not trifle with me unless you mean to ask me to marry you
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in playing
to spend time in aimless activity
spent a lazy afternoon trifling on the front porch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of trifling
Chris Colin,
Wired News,
18 May 2026
Meanwhile, that global temperature record that DiCaprio mentioned in his acceptance speech in 2016 seems almost trifling compared to what has happened since.
—
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
The health factor is no trifling qualifier for a player who has missed time with shoulder and oblique injuries, in addition to that unfortunate incident with his pelvic floor.
—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Talk of mounting nuclear readiness towards Russia, which has more atomic weapons than any other country in the world, could overshadow more trifling domestic matters, like the Epstein scandal, for instance.
—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
2 Aug. 2025
Pixar has long stood out by bringing something less trifling to theatergoing families.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
15 July 2025
And yet the movie’s insularity feels trifling and empty.
—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Feb. 2024
The cost to find these answers, even in the near term, is relatively trifling.
—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
30 Oct. 2023
With that much water needed for even the most trifling tasks, the natural question becomes: How does that water reach those data centers, let alone the world’s farms and factories?
—
IEEE Spectrum,
28 May 2010
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
The rise may seem trifling, but staffers work long hours, and a caffeine budget is a necessity.
—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Feb. 2026
The aging Airy had devoted his observatory to stellar measurements that now produced trifling improvements to navigation.
—
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about.
—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
In less trifling hands, there’s no telling what these tools could do, are doing now.
—
Chris Colin,
Wired News,
18 May 2026
Meanwhile, that global temperature record that DiCaprio mentioned in his acceptance speech in 2016 seems almost trifling compared to what has happened since.
—
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
The health factor is no trifling qualifier for a player who has missed time with shoulder and oblique injuries, in addition to that unfortunate incident with his pelvic floor.
—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Talk of mounting nuclear readiness towards Russia, which has more atomic weapons than any other country in the world, could overshadow more trifling domestic matters, like the Epstein scandal, for instance.
—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
2 Aug. 2025
Pixar has long stood out by bringing something less trifling to theatergoing families.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
15 July 2025
And yet the movie’s insularity feels trifling and empty.
—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Feb. 2024
The cost to find these answers, even in the near term, is relatively trifling.
—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
30 Oct. 2023
With that much water needed for even the most trifling tasks, the natural question becomes: How does that water reach those data centers, let alone the world’s farms and factories?
—
IEEE Spectrum,
28 May 2010
Verb
But that still left the less-than-trifling matter of the second tier’s title to settle, as the teams were locked together on 97 points with one game still to play.
—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
The rise may seem trifling, but staffers work long hours, and a caffeine budget is a necessity.
—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Feb. 2026
The aging Airy had devoted his observatory to stellar measurements that now produced trifling improvements to navigation.
—
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about.
—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trifling
Adjective
-
Messi had been dealing with a minor hamstring injury with Inter Miami that slowed him in the lead-up to the World Cup.
-
Nearly four-fifths of respondents said that gas prices present some sort of strain, with 34% categorizing it as a major strain and 44% calling it a minor strain.
Adjective
-
There's a marginal risk of severe weather near the Twin Cities, with a slight risk in the central and northwestern part of the state.
-
Man, to see that Curaçao player — in a moment that’s quite important to him, that is earned over so many years of effort — give a slight nod to the invisible man, that warms my heart and brings a smile to my face.
Verb
-
Like Friday, when a rookie lefty was flirting with a no-hitter in the middle innings, Bennett held New York hitless until Schuemann’s two-out homer in the fifth.
-
Lake Superior Court Judge Samuel Cappas sentenced a Chicago man to 76 years Thursday for gunning down a friend who was flirting with his girlfriend online.
Verb
-
Ella Bruccoleri may be playing a Bennet sister on TV, but the actress wasn’t always a fan of Jane Austen.
-
According to court documents, Zimmerman was playing golf at the hotel's course throughout the day with friends.
Adjective
-
Name the worry out loud, then choose a small boundary that protects your energy, such as turning off notifications during a demanding task.
-
People milled about clutching small rainbow flags from the human rights organization Outright International.
Adjective
-
Note that there is a nominal surcharge for using credit instead of cash.
-
Competent guides are available at a nominal fee, and the bite for a nonresident fishing license is only $5.
Verb
-
Zeus did not approve of his daughter fooling around with this mortal roughneck hunter and put out a hit on Orion.
-
The transition was rough for Ansari, who wasn’t fluent in English and often got in trouble for fooling around in school.
Adjective
-
Yet at the individual and family level, there was little.
-
For example, when the question comes up if a certain weird little alien on a space bus who sounds unmistakably like Seth Rogen is actually Rogen.
Cite this Entry
“Trifling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trifling. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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