1
as in restless
given to complaining a lot
predictably, the kids riding in the back were fussy passengers, always asking "Are we there yet?"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in finicky
hard to please
cats have a well-deserved reputation for being fussy eaters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in careful
taking, showing, or involving great care and effort
a fussy teacher who reads through papers two and even three times before issuing a grade
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4
as in ornate
elaborately and often excessively decorated
the room, with its rococo furniture and its overabundance of knickknacks, is just too fussy for my taste
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fussy
That mixture of the crucial and the fussy squeezes out flexibility, yielding density without vitality, expediency without speed.
—
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 Dec. 2025
On-the-go, high quality coffee, with a minimum of fussy equipment.
—The Editors, Outside, 12 Dec. 2025
Sometimes, rooms like this seem to have been tailored to the fussiest, most unpleasable celebrities—mood lighting, custom stationery, a dozen types of candles.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 8 Dec. 2025
The ready-to-eat apple outpaced its fussier cousin long ago.
—Benjamin Kemper, Saveur, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fussy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fussy
Adjective
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Unlike restless Nora, Agnes is married with a son, able to view her deeply flawed dad from the vantage point of both a daughter and mother.—
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Many knitters describe the activity as a way to channel anxious or restless energy into something tangible.—
Adjective
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Boost Indoor Humidity Most peppers prefer higher-than-average humidity levels, but some pepper varieties are more finicky about humidity than others.—
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Wait for a dry, cold day to make the South's most finicky candy—then enjoy each ethereal, sugary bite.—
Adjective
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Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
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These soft and chewy treats are the result of dozens of careful recipe tests.—
Adjective
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Kempinski Istanbul Housed in an ornate former Ottoman palace on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait, the Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul is the ultimate luxury hotel in Istanbul.—
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Nutcrackercore For those seeking theatrical glamour, Nutcrackercore delivers escapism through ornate decor.—
Adjective
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Some of the consequences of owing your body sleep are readily apparent, like feeling drowsy, irritable, or brain-foggy, or catching seemingly every virus.—
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Accompanying Rayner through these daily adventures were the irritable duck Chelveston (named after his English bomber base) and the gentle dog puppet Cuddly Dudley.—
Adjective
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My picky kids specifically ask for this.—
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Vionic Kimmie Court Sneakers This Vionic Galia sneaker sale is so good that my picky 60-year-old mom and I are both running to checkout.—
Adjective
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The most meticulous work on this subject was carried out by David Noble, a historian of technology.—
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Ramon is known for making meticulous in-court analyses for bail and custody decisions.—
Adjective
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From a portable power bank to keep your phone charged to noise-canceling headphones that will drown out stressful sounds, these travel accessories will help nervous fliers and frequent travelers alike have easier journeys.—
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But now there's a new robo-tech in town, and my Roadie 3 is looking very nervous indeed.—
Cite this Entry
“Fussy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fussy. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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