trivial

adjective

ˈtri-vē-əl How to pronounce trivial (audio)
Definition of trivialnext
1
as in minor
lacking importance why spend so much time on trivial decisions, like whether the soda should be regular or diet?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slight
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention figured that restaurant customers wouldn't notice such a trivial surcharge on their bill

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 trivial But in Season 4, the balance is off, and the fictional president’s parallels to our real-life war-starting, ally-betraying POTUS only make the former’s plight feel that much more trivial. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026 With awe, the feeling of smallness is inspired by something that makes our own concerns and capacities seem trivial – something like God or the divine. — Robert A. Ballingall, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2026 In such trivial moments of rebellion, the seeds of resistance are sown. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 This led people to use AI for every trivial thing, and computing costs shot right into outer space. — Konstantin Klyagin, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trivial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trivial
  1. minor
  2. slight
  3. small
  4. nominal
  5. little
  6. petty
  7. unimportant
  8. insignificant
Adjective
  • There were other, more minor, signs that suggested the Republican senator might be in trouble.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026
  • In the case of a minor stroke, which is often referred to as a transient ischemic attack or a warning stroke, the person doesn’t suffer lasting effects.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • Davis held a slight lead Wednesday, and the race between Murphy and Democratic challenger Raymond Smith was particularly close.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The slight gap between the two candidates doesn’t bode well for Bass, since Raman is expected to secure a larger portion of the late-arriving ballots in the coming days.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of slight
Adjective
  • The Sun’s gravity confines dense plasma, while terrestrial machines must create conditions for useful fusion within a much smaller space.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Ear seeding is a needle-free acupuncture technique that uses small beads held to the ear with adhesive to stimulate specific pressure points.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • The latest cells can retain around 90 percent of their nominal capacity at temperatures as low as -40°C (-40°F), outperforming conventional lithium-ion chemistries, particularly LFP.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Recordings averaged six hours and 38 minutes, roughly half a battery’s nominal life, the report said.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • Here's where the high diesel prices add up tough – what little hay there is, is a lot more expensive to harvest.
    — Anna King, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The prince didn’t have any luck in blocking Kelce, which comes as little surprise given the Chiefs star knows how to avoid defensive players.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of little
Adjective
  • The former sheriff claimed Luna has presided over a deep decline in department morale and staffing while being too soft on drug users, the homeless and petty criminals.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Takeshi’s father is a petty and proud man, in ways continually expanded upon throughout the film’s runtime, though how he’s actually framed never truly changes.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of petty
Adjective
  • Anything that seems relatively unimportant, like who sits on what dais, becomes the calamity of the century.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
  • That said, this does not mean the Detect, Respond and Recover pillars of the NIST CSF are unimportant.
    — Andrew Ginter, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of unimportant
Adjective
  • Although that may sound insignificant, today’s technology would not exist without the underlying basic research.
    — Mattanjah de Vries, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • One even found that there's a not-insignificant relationship between having a larger analytics staff and winning more games.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of insignificant

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trivia
trivial
trivialities
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Cite this Entry

“Trivial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trivial. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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