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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
obsessed over even petty problems
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petty
Their petty thief characters in Philadelphia posed as DEA agents to rob smalltime drug dealers, only to become targets of a massive and deadly narcotics enterprise.
—
Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2025
And then there is a tinge of shame for feeling it because it’s viewed as a petty, base emotion.
—Andrea Kane, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025
This might seem like a pretty petty issue to spend weeks of time and attention debunking.
—Ars Technica, 15 Feb. 2025
What does revoking Biden's security clearance accomplish other than satisfy a petty grievance of a childish man?
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2025
And then there is a tinge of shame for feeling it because it’s viewed as a petty, base emotion.
—Andrea Kane, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025
This might seem like a pretty petty issue to spend weeks of time and attention debunking.
—Ars Technica, 15 Feb. 2025
What does revoking Biden's security clearance accomplish other than satisfy a petty grievance of a childish man?
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petty
Adjective
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This banking platform is built for small business owners, freelancers, and the self-employed.—
Brandon Kochkodin,
Forbes,
18 Feb. 2025
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The gigs in smaller rooms than Simon has typically played, will allow the singer to perform the songs from Seven Psalms live for the first time.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Howe used four different left-backs last term, mainly fielding Dan Burn there (a nominal centre-back at 6ft 7in/201cm), while Newcastle were the most one-sided team in the league for crosses — over 60 per cent came from the right.—
Liam Tharme,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
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Out of all of the foreign investment sources that have pumped cash into South Florida real estate, financial institutions, and new businesses over the years, Saudi Arabia is a nation that at best has a nominal presence in the region.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This may seem like an impossible task in a world where politics is becoming more divisive, foreign policy more parochial, and social media bubbles more impenetrable.—
Harvey Whitehouse,
WIRED,
23 Jan. 2025
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For more than a century, religious education had been deeply entrenched in the state; in Cleveland, the parochial system was one of the largest in the country.—
Alec MacGillis,
ProPublica,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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While some areas are seeing increases, others are experiencing stability or even slight declines, as the bulk of the seasonal transition has yet to significantly impact gasoline prices— certainly good news for motorists.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2025
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But if Maxey asserts himself as a nightly threat to erupt for 25-plus points, Embiid could take a slight step back on offense next season.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The gap is quite narrow in some places, like Delaware and Maryland, but in places like Kentucky, systemic racial barriers continue to hold people back.—
Ben Berkowitz,
Axios,
17 Feb. 2025
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Last night’s special had a comparatively narrow focus, prioritizing the characters and celebrities that many younger viewers would recognize.—
Esther Zuckerman,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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So that seems to apply even to sports, something that seems kind of trivial.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
9 Feb. 2025
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Identifying whether a stock will rise or fall and when that move will happen are not trivial questions.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But there is little consensus among locals as to what should be done with the proceeds of the lithium boom.—
John Bartlett,
NPR,
23 Feb. 2025
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The sidewalks have been cleared of snow by little sidewalk snowplows.—
Joseph O’Neill,
The New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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And yet the movie’s insularity feels trifling and empty.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Feb. 2024
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The cost to find these answers, even in the near term, is relatively trifling.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
30 Oct. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Petty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petty. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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