pernickety

adjective

pər-ˈni-kə-tē How to pronounce pernickety (audio)
Definition of pernicketynext
chiefly British
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
  • Democratic congressional candidates will also need to be careful about balancing partisan messages to their base with more measured appeals to independent voters.
    — Julio Borquez, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But perhaps the biggest challenge of all was being extremely careful not to pass moral judgment on the story or any of the characters being portrayed.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of careful
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
  • The team then turned to an open-source model developed in China, which was less persnickety.
    — Stephen Witt, New Yorker, 30 July 2026
  • Imagine creating a new standard of hypersensitive caution about attracting even the most persnickety media criticism, and then applying it for the first time to your son’s wedding.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Definition of persnickety
Adjective
  • True crime stories also happen to be a particular forte for the creative team, stressed François Aramburu, co-producer at Fontaram Productions.
    — Ed Meza, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Someone with a visa valid for several more years, for example, might still be admitted for only a few months on a particular trip.
    — Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of particular
Adjective
  • The rooms Even the fussiest will be hard-pressed to find fault with them.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Today’s recipe Carolynn Carreño’s recipe for this smooth, creamy chocolate frosting is easy to make, with none of the potential pitfalls of fussy European buttercreams.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of fussy
Adjective
  • But even Cruise has learned the hard way that moviegoers have become pickier about what’s worth getting off the couch for.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The bears, which are normally solitary creatures, can be picky when choosing mates, and females are only in heat for one to three days each year.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of picky
Adjective
  • Oeffling is not new to music, but his artistic career is one that’s developed with more of a shrug than fastidious dedication.
    — Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
  • His pencil mustache, his fastidious gestures, and his twinkling eyes are at least as famous as his drinks.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of fastidious
Adjective
  • The conductors who oversee the recording of the movie scores are portrayed as hyper-demanding corporate perfectionists.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Quantum computers could eventually solve very demanding computational problems much faster than regular computers.
    — Sophya Garashchuk, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026
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 10 Oct. 2026.

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