TRIFLING Synonyms: 157 Similar and Opposite Words

trifling 1 of 2

adjective

ˈtrī-f(ə-)liŋ

Definition of trifling

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

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

trifling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of trifle

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

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

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 trifling

Adjective

Cut to terra ferma, where the almighty rainstorm soaking the streets of Rome seems a comparatively trifling bit of weather. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 Sep. 2026 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 The cost to find these answers, even in the near term, is relatively trifling. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2023

Verb

In the mid-19th century, the question was of trifling interest to mapmakers, who had far more than four colors at their disposal and saw no particular reason to restrict their palette. — Gregory Barber, Quanta Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026 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

But there’s no reason for alarm; none of the pitchers drafted by the Marlins in July were used in a minor-league game.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
The front camera uses a 135-degree field of view, which introduces minor edge distortion, but that's the price for capturing a broad swath of the road ahead.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of minor

Adjective

Concerns about this recent deceleration aside, a slight quarter-to-quarter boost is obviously preferable to the bundle’s comparable loss of 953,000 customers between the first and second quarters of this year.

— Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 23 Sep. 2026
There’s only a slight chance for thunderstorms over the weekend and the sun icon, missing for days and days, now shines on its main webpage.

— Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of slight

Verb

In catching 12 passes for 217 yards and four touchdowns against Illinois Saturday, Smith again looked like the high school star playing against ninth graders on the JV team.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2026
Ukraine eliminated two-time defending champion Italy in the semifinals and was playing its first final.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of playing

Adjective

Book the white, cream, and silver Diaghilev suite, which has double doors that open onto a small balcony with the bay of Positano at your feet.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
Instead, excess testosterone is converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes the hair follicles to become smaller and then the hair strands to become thinner.

— Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of small

Adjective

Patients in Medicaid, the state- and federally-funded program for people with low incomes, already pay a nominal co-payment of a few dollars to fill their prescriptions, but lower prices could help state budgets that fund the programs.

— Fatima Hussein, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
But recent wars have exposed the gap between nominal power and usable military capability.

— NADIA SCHADLOW, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of nominal

Verb

Zeus did not approve of his daughter fooling around with this mortal roughneck hunter and put out a hit on Orion.

— Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
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

Definition of fooling around

Adjective

Check-in and check-out are swift, valet has relatively little wait time, and the restaurant staff is accustomed to serving meals around performances at the Merrill Theater across the street.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Sep. 2026
That might be a big casserole of stuffing, a batch of chocolate chip cookies, or any situation in which adding too little salt would be a hard deficit to overcome later on.

— Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 Sep. 2026