1
as in finicky
hard to please
as she got older, she got more and more persnickety
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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"
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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
And Bob's combative phone call with a persnickety resistance operator marks a comedic career highlight for both DiCaprio and Anderson.
5.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Dec. 2025
Maybe also add a little note telling them not to get too persnickety about insuring the blade is mirror-shiny all the time.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 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
But Wilson is in his comfort zone as ever with Anderson, playing Francis’s persnickety dedication to the trip’s itinerary with his typical generosity.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
What would the notoriously persnickety Corbitt say about those bold additions?
—Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 17 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persnickety
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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But last month, Critchfield backed off in the face of a challenging state budget.—
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Depending on where in the country your family lives, winter can be a challenging time for kids who are cooped up inside amid the chillier weather.—
Adjective
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Speaking of which, the concept of royalty among members of PFV is no exaggeration, though some of the blue blood flowing through members’ veins is merely aristocratic.—
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Once owned by Perugia’s noble Raspanti family and later part of the Porta Eburnea district, the estate gradually transformed from a defensive outpost into an aristocratic country residence.—
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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Jens generally chooses his words carefully, and is, what’s more, particularly reticent just after finishing a long and difficult winter delivery trip; what’s a person supposed to do with words in a blizzard anyway, up on a stormy heath and all directions lost?—
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In his first start in the wake of Beau Pribula’s significant injury, Zollers walked into a difficult situation, and his stat line reflected it.—
Adjective
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This version of Ryan was arrogant, unable to conceal pride in his accomplishment.—
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So long as that situation continues, the 43-year-old’s allegedly arrogant and stand-offish treatment of his players will not worry the club hierarchy too much.—
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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Philadelphia first tried the 24-year-old at center but eventually moved him to the wing, presumably because of his struggles in the faceoff circle (just 39 percent of draws won) and because the wing is a less demanding defensive position.—
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Both must meet demanding performance standards, operate on efficient edge-compute systems, deliver provable safety, and scale in a commercially viable way.—
Cite this Entry
“Persnickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persnickety. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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