as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
the assistant's job was to shield the president from such footling problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dawdling
to spend time doing nothing
spent the morning footling about while others were working
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example 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 footling
Barton Swaim, WSJ, 21 June 2019
Adjective
By comparison with previous Establishment Clause cases, however, this lawsuit looked footling and rather mean.
—Barton Swaim, WSJ, 21 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for footling
Adjective
-
According to expert estimates, India needs to spend around $100 billion per year, or 2.8% of current nominal GDP, to achieve net-zero power sector emissions by 2070.—
Radhika Kak, independent researcher at Harvard Business School and Varad Pande, partner at BCG,
CNBC,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Here’s why: Although technical specifications are still being worked out, the new standard could deliver nominal peak data rates of more than 40Gbps.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Making one bet at a slight little edge is not going to have a huge effect on someone's bracket.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Zero Day held a slight lead with 1.84 billion minutes of viewing to 1.81 billion for Reacher.—
Rick Porter,
The Hollywood Reporter,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Then, the pandemic reduced the schedule to 60 games and Eddie got a piddling 37%.—
Star Tribune,
Star Tribune,
3 Dec. 2020
-
Millions of additional claims are expected to stream in from around the country over the coming weeks, while hiring remains piddling.—
Patricia Cohen,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2020
Adjective
-
Mixed in with small pleasures and petty disputes with her older sister are true feats of survival and bravery.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Gangs stop petty thievery in their own neighborhoods.—
Walter E Block,
Orange County Register,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The loud ticking sound when my car is idling.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Dec. 2024
-
My heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out the anticipatory purr of two ambulance engines idling nearby.—
Daphne Ewing-Chow,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
With that much water needed for even the most trifling tasks, the natural question becomes: How does that water reach those data centers, let alone the world’s farms and factories?—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
28 May 2010
-
And yet the movie’s insularity feels trifling and empty.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Feb. 2024
Verb
-
The course proved to be a scenic one, as Connor also encountered some local wildlife, including a crocodile lounging by the water at the 13th hole and two antelopes locked in a playful antler battle near a sand trap.—
Kevin Lynn,
Newsweek,
8 Jan. 2025
-
There is also time for lounging on the Pink Beach.—
Bianca Salonga,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The town, with colorful ochre and salmon-pink structures lining the seafront and tiny piazzas, has preserved its ancient seafaring vibe with an active harbor where fishermen live nearby and prepare for a day at sea.—
Catherine Sabino,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
-
On the Alabama Gulf Coast, this legendary third-generation beach shack can be found in the tiny town of Elberta and is accessible by boat or car.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Footling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/footling. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share