1
as in small
not broad or open in views or opinions
a petty little town that was not ethnically diverse and very happy about the situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
obsessed over even petty problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 petty
The risk for the United States is high: The next few years could easily see American politics descend into cruel, petty vengefulness, or worse.
—
Ivan Krastev, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
Shoplifters and petty thieves can also be put on probation for up to two years instead of one, and individuals under 25 can be referred to rehab programs.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 2 Jan. 2025
Spies have to deal with petty office politics like everyone else!
—Nina Metz, The Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2024
The fight in the restroom required a deft hand for how petty, casual frustrations can turn deadly.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for petty 
Ivan Krastev, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
Shoplifters and petty thieves can also be put on probation for up to two years instead of one, and individuals under 25 can be referred to rehab programs.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 2 Jan. 2025
Spies have to deal with petty office politics like everyone else!
—Nina Metz, The Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2024
The fight in the restroom required a deft hand for how petty, casual frustrations can turn deadly.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for petty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petty
Adjective
-
Reata at the Rodeo, a smaller but no less impressive version of the Southwestern steakhouse in downtown Fort Worth, will open at 11 a.m. Jan. 17 and will serve all day most days.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2025
-
Does this mean that community and small banks will struggle?—
Michael Abbott,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
While some of the nominees fall far afield from the norms—Hegseth, Gabbard, and RFK Jr. are the marquee names in that cohort, for sure—the bulk will face only nominal opposition from Democrats.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
8 Jan. 2025
-
Of course, all the good deeds in the world can’t buy your way into heaven, but as a nominal Catholic, Biden may have been persuaded by the Pope to commute the sentences.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Columbus Today Columbus is no longer the parochial, third-tier Midwestern city big dreamers must leave in order to fulfil their potential.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
-
But parochial political feuds and byzantine zoning codes have hampered LA’s efforts to get more new housing off the ground.—
Carly Stern,
Vox,
6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The snow started falling Sunday afternoon, with a slight mix of hail.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
19 Jan. 2025
-
That slight warming trend is expected to continue Friday, when high temperatures reach the upper 30s, with lows in the upper teens.—
Matt Hubbard,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Republicans are weighing their big ambitions, limited time and narrow House and Senate majorities.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
13 Jan. 2025
-
But there are big stumbling blocks, including the narrow window to reach a deal and the widely varied value of the app.—
Auzinea Bacon,
CNN,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Any defection over the most trivial procedural or legislative matters could block the party's agenda.—
G. Elliott Morris,
ABC News,
7 Jan. 2025
-
For investors, this means that meaningful financial updates from companies will be accompanied by mountains of trivial environmental data.—
Stone Washington,
National Review,
31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Lots of style, sure, but ultimately, and perhaps ironically, very little substance.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
-
The John McDonough creation, which has ignited a slew of copycats since the inaugural fan fest in 1986, is a marketing tool like no other, changing little over the years.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
And yet the movie’s insularity feels trifling and empty.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Feb. 2024
-
The cost to find these answers, even in the near term, is relatively trifling.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
30 Oct. 2023
Thesaurus Entries Near petty
Cite this Entry
“Petty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petty. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share