1
as in choosey
hard to please
a picky cat who would only eat one particular kind of food, and only if it was served in his special dish
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in selective
tending to select carefully
she's picky, but she always finds the best quality in fresh meat and fish
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of picky
Don’t let anyone convince you that having standards is the same as being too picky.
—
Anna Pulley, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2025
Cherry laurel isn't super picky and will tolerate dry, poor, and alkaline soils, salt, as well as heavy pruning.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 10 June 2025
For younger children or more picky eaters, start with something simple and approachable, like steaming edamame (young soybeans) or adding black beans to a cheesy quesadilla.
—Dr. Kelly Fradin, CNBC, 20 May 2025
Call me picky, but 18 playoff teams is too many for a 30-team league.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for picky
Anna Pulley, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2025
Cherry laurel isn't super picky and will tolerate dry, poor, and alkaline soils, salt, as well as heavy pruning.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 10 June 2025
For younger children or more picky eaters, start with something simple and approachable, like steaming edamame (young soybeans) or adding black beans to a cheesy quesadilla.
—Dr. Kelly Fradin, CNBC, 20 May 2025
Call me picky, but 18 playoff teams is too many for a 30-team league.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for picky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for picky
Adjective
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My intended lesson on Douglass’s rhetoric evolved into one about selective editing, censorship and hidden agendas.—
Frederic J. Fransen,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 July 2025
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In Norway, conscription is obligatory yet very selective, applying to men and women.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
Adjective
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While tariffs may lead to consumers being more choosy, Link said the overall macroeconomic picture still looks positive, bolstered by lower interest rates, a steady job market and strong consumer savings.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
4 Mar. 2025
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And by that time in her career, Salonga could be choosy.—
Robert Ito,
New York Times,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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The takeaway: Be careful about triggering too many credit inquiries.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
13 July 2025
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However, later in the day, be careful about jumping to conclusions when dealing with others.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
13 July 2025
Adjective
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The units also vary in shape: the cube is nice for nightstands, while the wider grand size works well on large dressers.—
Jamie Fischer,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 July 2025
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And, the embroidery on the pillowcases adds a nice touch.—
Shalwah Evans,
People.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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The composers also had to navigate the IP’s legacy, in particular, that of John Williams’ original heroic themes – the very DNA of Superman.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
14 July 2025
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In particular, compliance, vendor due diligence, treasury operations, and HR policy development are emerging as high-impact use cases.—
Ron Shevlin,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Picky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picky. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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