persnickety

adjective

pər-ˈsni-kə-tē How to pronounce persnickety (audio)
Definition of persnicketynext
1
as in finicky
hard to please as she got older, she got more and more persnickety

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention lacked the patience to deal with such persnickety tasks as hanging wallpaper

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aristocratic
being or characteristic of a person who has an offensive air of superiority and tends to ignore or disdain anyone regarded as inferior his persnickety attitude lost him some friends when they found out what he really thinks of "their kind"

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 persnickety The champion’s mindset—persnickety, hyper-critical, focused—is back. — Frederick Dreier, Outside, 23 Dec. 2025 Because of that pressurization level, passengers will experience less stress on their bodies and get more oxygen while onboard, which can help to reduce that persnickety jet lag. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 9 Dec. 2025 Meanwhile, a persnickety bank investigator, played by Tilda Swinton in a frizzle of red hair and clompy shoes, approaches Doyle with a serious charge. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Oct. 2025 The holdup has come from some persnickety deal points, like carving out international streaming rights and reaching consensus on the tech advancements Apple plans to use for its productions. — Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for persnickety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persnickety
  1. finicky
  2. challenging
  3. aristocratic
  4. careful
  5. difficult
  6. arrogant
  7. picky
  8. demanding
Adjective
  • The most finicky part of the setup was actually inserting the battery for the igniter.
    — Noah Kaufman, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The oversized trench coat maintains its spot in the fall capsule wardrobe, while a few more unexpected silhouettes, like the elevated track jacket, offer both protection and elegance in the notoriously finicky weather to come.
    — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of finicky
Adjective
  • Such calculations are part of a wider effort to understand why molecular simulations remain challenging.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • But the shift in college athletics has required an internal reconciling that is even more challenging than the external education.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of challenging
Adjective
  • Taylor, who reportedly bought his aristocratic title on the internet, was jailed for three years for selling a fake painting by the British artist Lowry through auction house Bonhams.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Similarly, after the traumas of the Civil War and Reconstruction, some Southern writers emphasized aberrant behavior to undercut the aristocratic whitewash of gentility and custom.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of aristocratic
Adjective
  • And so far, things seem to be operating smoothly — something local residents have grown to expect, given the high caliber of local elections officials and the careful oversight of political parties.
    — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • His work is known for its careful handling of color and its feel for the mood of ordinary days.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • Jarman, who came in as the defending champion on the event, put together a more difficult routine but was nicked by judges for his execution.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • This is the last remaining game on the schedule that should be very difficult.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Steve Buscemi as Harry’s regular fence; Tatiana Maslany as his estranged daughter; and Will Price as the arrogant, heat-packing scion of a Manhattan crime family also star.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Ever-sensible Elinor, who never asks for much, has already met, and fallen for, Edward Ferrars (George MacKay), Fanny’s brother, as kind and modest as Fanny is arrogant.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of arrogant
Adjective
  • Rob Haugen of Michels Family Office said uncertainty over where interest rates are headed has made the firm pickier about investing in the asset class.
    — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The limited prep area has forced me to be incredibly picky about which tools and appliances to display and which to relegate to cabinets.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of picky
Adjective
  • And as routine tasks are automated, workers could lose opportunities to develop the experience needed for more demanding work.
    — Lindsay Dodgson, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The Sun enters your 12th House, drawing your attention toward rest, reflection, privacy, unfinished matters, and everything easier to hear when the outside world becomes less demanding.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of demanding

Browse Nearby Words

persnicketiness
persnickety
person
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Persnickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persnickety. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All