as in careful
hard to please
an Oxford don who's definitely a pernickety old chap
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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
Raven Smith, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pernickety
Adjective
-
The takeaway: Be careful about triggering too many credit inquiries.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
13 July 2025
-
However, later in the day, be careful about jumping to conclusions when dealing with others.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
Do less — less handling, less fussing, less worrying about how delicate or weird or finicky seafood might or might not be.—
Betty Hallock,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2025
-
Many, like Cardenas, plan pivotal life events around the fleeting and finicky peak bloom period when more than 70% of the flowers are open and the area is awash in a pink glow.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
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
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What would the notoriously persnickety Corbitt say about those bold additions?—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
That’s not the fault of Boll & Branch, that is just how this particular cotton weave works.—
Jessica Hartshorn,
Flow Space,
14 July 2025
-
Is there any particular song that a band member fights for?—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Though the overly fussy haptic mirror controls remain.—
Jonny Lieberman,
Robb Report,
1 July 2025
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Girl names for Taurus Vera: Vera is a pretty, classic first name that feels elegant but not fussy.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
17 June 2025
Adjective
-
The Perks of Free Kids Meals for Parents Omni’s new summer offer puts a spotlight on the pain points of traveling with picky eaters.—
Liz Regalia,
Parents,
7 July 2025
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In Materialists, Lee plays Trevor, one of Lucy's more picky clients whose entire dating criteria revolves around finding a woman who's fit and has a BMI under 20.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
14 June 2025
Adjective
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This is true of people who don’t bathe and also people who are fastidious about bathing and douse themselves in cologne, and everyone else in between.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2025
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Aside from Howard Hughes, Enzo Ferrari was Mann’s white whale: a fastidious man who was excellent at his job and attempted to bury—yet was consumed by—overwhelming emotional torment.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Once upon a time, the leadership style of a college coach was simple: intense, demanding, rigid, focused on detail and motivating with more stick than carrot.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
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These jobs are highly demanding, but they are considered part-time under the city charter.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pernickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pernickety. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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