pickier; pickiest
: very careful or too careful about choosing or accepting things : fussy, choosy
a picky eater
Because pen collectors are a picky lot, and some antiques dealers who are not in the pen business can overlook the details of condition, there is occasional friction.—
Bill Holland
Bill HollandWith rising ticket prices and new competition from cable TV, cost-conscious families may be pickier about the movies they choose to see.—David Ansen and Martin Kasindorf
David Ansen and Martin Kasindorf
pickiness
noun
Taylor mocks Zavala for the size of his extended Mexican family, their endless chatter and the frequency of their quinceaneras. Zavala ribs Taylor for his white-person pickiness about artisanal coffee and marriage.
—Belinda Luscombe
Belinda Luscombe
Now jobless and forced to live with five housemates in San Jose, Calif., she comes away from every job interview discouraged by employers' pickiness.
—Daniel McGinn
Daniel McGinn
Synonyms
Examples of picky in a Sentence
a picky cat who would only eat one particular kind of food, and only if it was served in his special dish
she's picky, but she always finds the best quality in fresh meat and fish
Recent Examples on the Web
Both picky kids and adults can find something to love.
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
Lemon balm is not particularly picky about soil, but needs good drainage to return after winter, which is most likely in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 3-7.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 6 Apr. 2024
Daniel Zhao, the lead economist at the career site Glassdoor, pointed out that these three sectors collectively added just 10,000 jobs in March — a fresh indication of how white-collar employers have grown much more picky since their hiring spree during the pandemic.
—Talmon Joseph Smith, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Dog Approved Dogs can be incredibly picky about their food and treats - sometimes even more so if they’re stressed or in pain.
—Holistapet, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
If your kid is picky about logos, note that there is prominent Under Armour branding on both the top of the foot and the back of the leg.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 28 Mar. 2024
What Is the Best Walleye Lure? Walleye can be picky eaters, but the Northland Fishing Tackle Deep-Vee jig has been a winner for anglers the last few years.
—David A. Rose, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024
The comedian, who left Saturday Night Live in 2022 after 10 years on the show, enjoys being picky in her work.
—Seija Rankin, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2024
And the matchups are finally ready for your picky palate.
—The Enquirer, 17 Mar. 2024
Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
Lemon balm is not particularly picky about soil, but needs good drainage to return after winter, which is most likely in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 3-7.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 6 Apr. 2024
Daniel Zhao, the lead economist at the career site Glassdoor, pointed out that these three sectors collectively added just 10,000 jobs in March — a fresh indication of how white-collar employers have grown much more picky since their hiring spree during the pandemic.
—Talmon Joseph Smith, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Dog Approved Dogs can be incredibly picky about their food and treats - sometimes even more so if they’re stressed or in pain.
—Holistapet, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
If your kid is picky about logos, note that there is prominent Under Armour branding on both the top of the foot and the back of the leg.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 28 Mar. 2024
What Is the Best Walleye Lure? Walleye can be picky eaters, but the Northland Fishing Tackle Deep-Vee jig has been a winner for anglers the last few years.
—David A. Rose, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024
The comedian, who left Saturday Night Live in 2022 after 10 years on the show, enjoys being picky in her work.
—Seija Rankin, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2024
And the matchups are finally ready for your picky palate.
—The Enquirer, 17 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'picky.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near picky
Cite this Entry
“Picky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/picky. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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