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
Relevance
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
This might all seem trivial, but a mere annoyance compounds when it must be repeated every week for the rest of your life.
—
Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2026
My polite reply to her email doesn't amount to anything more than a trivial note.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
Showcasing films from all horizons is not a trivial act.
—Jake Coyle, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
There’s a non-trivial chance that a young Plum’s new husband will be pretty old.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trivial
Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2026
My polite reply to her email doesn't amount to anything more than a trivial note.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
Showcasing films from all horizons is not a trivial act.
—Jake Coyle, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
There’s a non-trivial chance that a young Plum’s new husband will be pretty old.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trivial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trivial
Adjective
-
There could be minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas, periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms, and urban and small stream flooding.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
There is at least some truth that social media use may cause a minor rise in dopamine levels, but not in a way that resembles drugs or qualifies as addiction.—
William Proctor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, walnuts lend a slight crunch throughout.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Cloud cover is forecasted to stick around all day, and temperatures are likely to top out in the low 80s this afternoon with a slight breeze from the south.—
Lauren Bostwick,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Ceija Stojka’s small paintings at the Drawing Center swarm with such harrowing incident that viewers may not spot the mystery in the bottom right corner of many of her canvases.—
Ben Davis,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The Pistons are small favorites on the road for Game 3.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The bulls claim that trend justifies today’s valuations, and that EPS can keep rolling in double-digits while national income trudges at a nominal 5% or so.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Funds routed through weakly regulated financial centers, often under nominal compliance regimes, help seed narratives designed to divide Western societies and undermine political cohesion.—
Gaurav Srivastava,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Previous attempts to secure ceasefires have had little or no impact, with the two sides blaming each other for violations.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Start by trimming the tough, dry ends off the bunch and chop them into little logs.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There are some pretty gross, petty and violent acts of revenge.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
-
What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s no unimportant royal gossip, apparently.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
5 Apr. 2026
-
If however, we were often criticized and made to feel unimportant, our self-talk may be more negative.—
Joy Harden Bradford,
AJC.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
To the uninitiated, the distinction may seem insignificant.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2026
-
That's not an insignificant sum.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trivial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trivial. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
