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 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 That’s the same reason as why knots in dimension three become trivial or all the same in dimension four. — Quanta Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026 But the character of Les Grossman was a trivial showbiz lark. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026 The book leans on research about decision fatigue—the idea that even trivial choices drain the mental capacity available for harder ones—to argue that the sheer volume of daily inputs, not just their content, has a cost. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Sep. 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
  • Charlie Weasley is a minor character in the books and does not appear in the films, so the HBO series is straying from the movies regarding Ron Weasley’s older brother.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
  • If winner is deemed to be a minor under the jurisdiction of his/her residence, the prize will be awarded in the name of his/her parent or legal guardian who must execute the necessary affidavit and release and, if applicable,.
    — Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • And while there are slight deviations between Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennial shopping habits, Gen Z appears to be changing the game altogether.
    — Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Made from 98-percent cotton and 2-percent spandex, these pants have a slight stretch to them along with functional front and back pockets.
    — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of slight
Adjective
  • Manfred says small-market success is rare, while the union argues the Rays-Brewers World Series matchup shows baseball can work without a cap.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Massachusetts ranks third for the annual cost of raising a small child but 18th over 18 years.
    — Martie Bowser, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • If interest expense exceeds nominal GDP growth, a debt spiral could occur.
    — Justin Zacks, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Municipal compost operations tend only to accept leaves generated by that town and may also provide small quantities of finished compost to residents for free or at a nominal charge, according to DEEP.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 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 other was Albrecht Hohler, thirty, a Communist member of the paramilitary group the Red Front Fighters and well known locally as a particularly vicious thug—a petty criminal who had been released from jail only a few months earlier.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Here, the book loosens its grip on its wholesome view of the Westish clique, letting its characters do several ugly and petty and longed-for things—letting them, in other words, grow up.
    — Emma Alpern, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of petty
Adjective
  • 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
  • Wright agrees that the findings shouldn’t be interpreted to mean that omega-3s are unimportant for the brain.
    — Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 14 July 2026
Definition of unimportant
Adjective
  • 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
  • As a builder, these moments may seem insignificant when viewed individually.
    — Rhodes Kriske, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of insignificant

Browse Nearby Words

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 29 Oct. 2026.

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