pernickety

adjective

pər-ˈni-kə-tē How to pronounce pernickety (audio)
Definition of pernicketynext
chiefly British
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as in careful
hard to please an Oxford don who's definitely a pernickety old chap

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 pernickety Perhaps this pernickety attention to detail is just the next logical step after years of falsification? — Raven Smith, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pernickety
  1. careful
  2. finicky
  3. persnickety
  4. particular
  5. fussy
  6. picky
  7. fastidious
  8. demanding
Adjective
  • Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Since then, Vance has been more careful not to deviate publicly from the president's policy position.
    — Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • But our biggest gripe with the classic Cuisinart design is how finicky these elements can be.
    — Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Rapley also claims that children who are baby-led, rather than spoon-fed, become less finicky eaters.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of finicky
Adjective
  • Jonathan Pryce plays the persnickety headmaster who prefers to keep politics outside the school walls.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024
  • Kurkdjian’s policies as head of the department reflect both a persnickety attention to detail and an obsession with creative autonomy.
    — Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
Definition of persnickety
Adjective
  • As the band’s newest single begins to slide, a classic that helped launch the musicians to stardom is a huge hit once more, and the group flexes its selling power in particular on one ranking.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • If not in a particular country, then certainly there's a legat that has responsibility for that particular country, for instance Turks and Caicos.
    — Peter D'Abrosca, Fox News, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of particular
Adjective
  • In stark comparison to Cuisinart’s fussy components, the Breville has an easy-to-lock design.
    — Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Get The Recipe 32 of 32 Apple Crisp Less fussy than an apple pie but just as delicious, this crisp captures all the warm-spiced flavors of fall in one baking dish.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of fussy
Adjective
  • The Detroit Red Wings can’t afford to be picky right now.
    — Max Bultman, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
  • Arguably not, as the optical quality here is similar, and the lenses are similarly picky about head positioning, which is improved in the standard Quest 3. Follow me on Twitter.
    — Andrew Williams, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of picky
Adjective
  • Modernized guestrooms with a quasi Victorian feel While the Del’s public spaces and façade required fastidious attention to the hotel’s historic heritage, that’s not so much a priority when updating the décor of the Victorian’s guestrooms, said Marshall.
    — Lori Weisberg, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2025
  • Several years ago, a pair of fastidious geographers attempted to conduct a census of islands, putting the global total at 5,675, if by island one means a body of land, larger than ten square kilometers but smaller than a continent, encircled by water.
    — Donovan Hohn, Harper's Magazine, 2 July 2024
Definition of fastidious
Adjective
  • By reducing latency and enabling real-time decision-making, these systems ensure that city services remain nimble under the most demanding conditions.
    — Cathy Hackl, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Everest's unpredictable weather and difficult breathing conditions make this one of the most physically and mentally demanding climbs in the world.
    — Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of demanding

Browse Nearby Words

pernicious
pernickety
perorate
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Cite this Entry

“Pernickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pernickety. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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