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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Recent Examples of trifling
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
Frankly, the more trifling the crime, the better this franchise’s comedy aspirations would work.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 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
Aside from bacteria, the smallest genome belongs to the intestinal parasite Encephalitozoon intestinalis, with a trifling 2.3 billion base pairs.
—Kirsten Weir, Discover Magazine, 12 June 2011
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
Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 7 Feb. 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
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
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
Frankly, the more trifling the crime, the better this franchise’s comedy aspirations would work.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 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
Aside from bacteria, the smallest genome belongs to the intestinal parasite Encephalitozoon intestinalis, with a trifling 2.3 billion base pairs.
—Kirsten Weir, Discover Magazine, 12 June 2011
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
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 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
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
-
He was convicted eight years earlier of solicitation of prostitution involving a minor.—
Michael R. Sisak,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
-
The mountains are expected to see minor snowfall going into next week for areas with elevation above 3,000 feet.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
Updated February 20,
Sacbee.com,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
There used to be a down season in Edinburgh, when Scotland's capital city—with its beautiful Gothic buildings, cobblestoned Royal Mile, and 12th-century castle keeping watch on a hilltop—caught a slight breather from tourists.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Down two goals against an opponent also full of NHL players, the tournament favorite did not look the slightest bit shook.—
Stephen Whyno,
Hartford Courant,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Sunday morning will be in the 30s and flirting with the freezing line for some of the outer counties.—
Lauren Bostwick,
CBS News,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The 20-foot walls are hung salon-style with gilt frames surrounding oil paintings flirting at once with modernism and Renaissance styles.—
Jane Wooldridge,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun was also found guilty Thursday of playing a major role in the insurrection and sentenced to 30 years in prison.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
On a frigid night recently, about a dozen people arrived at the Evanston Public Library to try playing a new game created by Steven Franconeri, a Northwestern University psychology professor.—
Jeff Banowetz,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But the proposal would only actually impact a small few — billionaires.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The first call for help was a silent text message from an emergency beacon, mobilizing a small army of rescuers dispatched from different directions.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Suggesting even nominal support for Israeli sovereignty over much of the Middle East is an unprecedented departure from American foreign policy.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
After weeks of price fluctuations, the white metal hit a nominal all-time high of over $110 per troy ounce in late January 2026 — a milestone that sent investors scrambling to try and capitalize on the metal's impressive price uptick.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The transition was rough for Ansari, who wasn’t fluent in English and often got in trouble for fooling around in school.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Gisin hopes that by fooling around with measurements of these more exotic states, physicists will come to better understand the role of measurement in general.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
-
In fact, very little separates them.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trifling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trifling. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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